The so-called “Yellow Line,” an Israeli-controlled buffer zone that residents say is transforming from a temporary security measure into a new permanent border, is gradually expanding in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian residents say the line is moving westward every night, increasingly narrowing the vital space in the enclave. In some areas, it has reached halfway along Salah al-Din Street, the main artery connecting north and south Gaza, paralyzing movement for fear of attacks. “Netanyahu is slowly pushing us towards the sea,” says Mohammed Shbair, a taxi driver from Khan Younis. According to him, the area where customers once waited has now become a symbol of isolation and fear.
According to residents’ accounts, Palestinian militias collaborating with the Israeli army enter homes and issue evacuation orders to families living near the line. Approaching the area is considered extremely dangerous, while crossing it is described as “certain death.”
In central Gaza, near Al-Maghazi, residents report that excavators and bulldozers are digging trenches and building earthen barriers, protected by Israeli military equipment. Many Palestinians suspect that a permanent separation structure is being created. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s plan to stabilize Gaza appears to have stalled. The “Peace Board” remains without funding, while the Palestinian committee that was supposed to administer Gaza remains blocked in Cairo due to the lack of an international security force. Hamas, on the other hand, has refused to hand over its weapons.
According to residents, in addition to the “Yellow Line,” there is another undeclared security belt, which they call the “Orange Line,” an area where no one can approach due to the risk of snipers. Including this space, Palestinians say that over 60 percent of Gaza territory has become practically inaccessible.
Bodies continue to lie buried under rubble in the no-go areas, and thousands of people are still missing. Residents also report destruction of civilian infrastructure and agricultural lands near the buffer zone. “Only Israeli soldiers, stray dogs and collaborators move across the Line,” says Said Al-Abadla, a farmer from Al-Qarara, who has lost his greenhouses and water well in the area.