🔗 Share this article

New evidence suggest that Israel's military forces are exercising authority over a larger area within Gaza than initially anticipated under the truce deal.

This Ceasefire Agreement and the Demarcation Boundary

Under the first phase of the deal, Israeli authorities committed to retreat to a demarcation border running along the northern, south, and eastern sides of Gaza. The divide was designated by a yellow marker on maps released by the military and has come to be referred to as the "Demarcation Line."

But, new videos and aerial photographs reveal that markers placed by Israel's soldiers in several locations to designate the divide have been set several hundreds of meters further inside the strip than the anticipated withdrawal line.

Official Statements and Warnings

Israel's Defense Official the defense minister—which instructed troops to position the distinctive markers—stated that anyone crossing the line "will be confronted with gunfire." There's been already occurred at least several fatal incidents close to the demarcation line.

Upon approached, the Israeli military did not address the claims, stating only that: "Israeli forces under the military command have begun marking the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip to establish operational clarity on the terrain."

Lack of Precision and Confusion

There has been a consistent lack of clarity regarding where exactly the boundary will be established, with three different maps posted by the White House, former U.S. President, and the Israel's military in the lead-up to the truce agreement that came into force on October 10.

On October 14, the IDF released the most recent edition marking the Yellow Line on their digital map, which is employed to communicate its position to residents in Gaza.

North and Southern Gaza

Near the northern sector, adjacent to the al-Atatra neighbourhood, drone footage from the IDF showed that a line of six yellow blocks were as much as over 500 meters further within the Strip than was expected from the IDF maps.

Footage geolocated showed personnel using heavy machinery and excavators to move the large yellow markers and position them along the seaside al-Rashid route.

A similar situation was visible in southern the Gaza Strip, where a aerial image captured on 19 October showed ten markers erected close to the city of Khan Younis. The line of markers extends between 180m-290m within the demarcation set out by the Israeli military.

Analysts Interpretation

Multiple analysts suggested that the blocks were intended to create a "buffer zone" between Palestinians and Israeli personnel. One expert said the action would be in line with a long-term "policy approach" that aims to protect Israel from adjacent territories it doesn't fully control.

"This provides the Israeli military room to manoeuvre and create a 'engagement area' targeting potential threats," an analyst said. "Possible targets can be engaged before they reach the military boundary. It is a somewhat like no man's land that doesn't pertain to either side—and Israel tends to take that land from the opponent's portion rather than its territory."

Three experts suggested that the disparity between the indicators and the IDF chart was an deliberate design to alert civilians they are "entering an zone of elevated risk."

Noam Ostfeld said that several blocks "appear to be placed close to roads or barriers, making them more straightforward to identify."

Resident Uncertainty and Incidents

There is already uncertainty within residents over areas where it is safe to go.

Abdel Qader Ayman Bakr who lives close to the temporary demarcation in the east section of Gaza City Shejaiya neighbourhood said that, notwithstanding assurances from Israeli authorities of clear indicators, he had observed no such markers put in place.

"Each day, we can observe Israel's military equipment and soldiers at a relatively nearby range, yet we have no way of knowing whether we are in what is considered a 'secure area' or 'a hazardous location'," he explained. "We're continually exposed to risk, particularly since we are forced to remain in this location because this is where our home once existed."

After the ceasefire was implemented, the Israeli military has reported a number of cases of people approaching the demarcation. On each occasions the military stated it engaged those present.

Footage acquired and geolocated showed the consequences of a event on October 17, which the Hamas-run Civil Defence authority said killed 11 civilians—including females and children all reportedly from the identical family. The agency said the local vehicle was targeted by Israeli forces following approaching the demarcation east of Gaza City in the Zeitoun neighbourhood.

The footage showed rescue personnel inspecting the destroyed remains of a car and shrouding a adjacent badly-mangled body of a child with a light-colored sheet. Geolocation placed the video to a spot around 125m over the Yellow Line indicated on charts by the IDF.

The Israeli military stated warning shots were fired at a "suspect vehicle" that had crossed the boundary. The statement added after the car failed to halt, soldiers opened fire "to eliminate the danger."

Legal Standing and Obligations

At the same time, the juridical standing of the demarcation has likewise been challenged.

"Israel's responsibilities under the regulations of hostilities cannot end including for those breaching the Yellow Line," commented a legal expert. "It can only target enemy combatants or those actively involved in conflict, and in such actions it has to avoid cause disproportionate civilian harm."

In a statement, an Israeli defense spokesperson stated: "Israeli forces under the military command continue to function to eliminate any danger to the troops and to protect the civilians of the nation of the country."

The spokesperson added that the concrete markers are "positioned every 200 metres."

Background and Casualties

Israeli authorities initiated a military operation in the Gaza Strip