🔗 Share this article

Recent evidence indicate that Israeli military troops are maintaining control over more territory within the Gaza Strip than initially anticipated under the truce agreement.

This Truce Agreement and the Demarcation Line

According to the initial stage of the agreement, Israeli authorities agreed to retreat to a boundary line extending along the northern, south, and east edges of the Gaza Strip. This divide was marked by a distinctive line on maps published by the military and has come to be known as the "Demarcation Line."

But, new videos and aerial images reveal that markers placed by Israel's troops in several locations to mark the divide have been placed several hundreds of meters deeper inside the territory than the expected withdrawal boundary.

Government Statements and Warnings

Israel's Defense Official Israel Katz—who instructed troops to place the yellow markers—stated that individuals crossing the line "would be confronted with gunfire." There have already been at minimum several fatal events close to the boundary line.

When approached, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to the claims, saying only that: "IDF troops under the Southern Command have started marking the demarcation in the Gaza to establish tactical clarity on the ground."

Absence of Precision and Uncertainty

There has been a ongoing lack of clarity regarding the exact location exactly the boundary will be established, with multiple different charts posted by the U.S. administration, Donald Trump, and the Israel's defense forces in the run up to the ceasefire agreement that came into force on October 10.

As of 14 October, the IDF released the latest edition showing the demarcation on their online map, which is used to convey its stance to residents in the Gaza Strip.

Northern and South Gaza

In the north, adjacent to the al-Atatra area, drone video from the Israeli military revealed that a line of several distinctive blocks were up to over 500 meters further inside the Strip than was anticipated from the official charts.

Video verified showed workers using bulldozers and excavators to relocate the large distinctive markers and position them along the coastal al-Rashid road.

A comparable scenario was visible in the south of the Gaza Strip, where a aerial photograph captured on 19 October revealed ten markers placed close to the urban area of Khan Younis. The row of markers ranges from 180m-290m inside the demarcation set out by the Israeli military.

Experts Interpretation

Several experts suggested that the blocks were intended to create a "buffer zone" between Palestinians and IDF forces. One expert said the action would be consistent with a long-term "strategic culture" that aims to protect Israel from nearby areas it doesn't fully administer.

"This provides the IDF room to manoeuvre and create a 'engagement area' against potential threats," Dr Andreas Krieg commented. "Potential targets can be engaged before they reach the IDF perimeter. It is a somewhat like unclaimed territory that doesn't belong to anyone—and Israel tends to acquire that territory from the opponent's chunk rather than its territory."

Several experts suggested that the difference between the indicators and the IDF map was an intentional design to alert residents they are "entering an zone of elevated danger."

An analyst noted that several markers "appear to be placed near roads or walls, making them easier to spot."

Civilian Confusion and Events

Exists already uncertainty among Gazans over areas where it is secure to go.

Abdel Qader Ayman Bakr who lives close to the temporary demarcation in the east part of Gaza City Shejaiya district stated that, despite assurances from Israel of visible markings, he had observed no such markers installed.

"Each day, we can observe Israel's army equipment and soldiers at a relatively nearby distance, yet we have no means of knowing whether we are in what is deemed a 'secure area' or 'an active danger zone'," he said. "We are constantly exposed to danger, especially since we are compelled to stay here because this is where our home previously stood."

After the truce was implemented, the IDF has reported a series of instances of people crossing the demarcation. On each occasions the IDF said it engaged those present.

Video acquired and verified depicted the consequences of one event on 17 October, which the Hamas-run Civil Defence authority claimed resulted in the deaths of eleven civilians—comprising women and children all reportedly from the same family. The authority said the Palestinians' car was targeted by Israeli forces following crossing the demarcation east of the city in the Zeitoun neighbourhood.

The footage displayed emergency personnel inspecting the burnt out remnants of a car and covering a nearby severely damaged body of a child with a white cloth. Geolocation placed the video to a spot around 125m over the demarcation marked on charts by the Israeli military.

The IDF said alert rounds were fired at a "suspicious vehicle" that had breached the line. The announcement noted when the car did not to stop, soldiers engaged "to eliminate the threat."

Legal Standing and Responsibilities

At the same time, the juridical standing of the boundary has likewise been questioned.

"The state's responsibilities under the law of armed conflict do not end even for those violating the Yellow Line," commented Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne. "It can only target hostile fighters or those directly participating in hostilities, and in so doing it has to avoid inflict excessive non-combatant casualties."

Officially, an Israeli defense representative stated: "IDF forces under the Southern Command persist to operate to remove every danger to the troops and to defend the residents of the nation of the country."

They further that the solid markers are "positioned every 200 meters."

Context and Casualties

Israel initiated a defense operation in the Gaza Strip