Israel to expand Gaza 'yellow line,' squeezing Palestinian space

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged last Thursday that the army currently controls approximately 60% of Gaza's territory and revealed plans to expand that figure to 70%, according to Anadolu Agency. The "yellow line" — a boundary separating Israeli-controlled eastern Gaza from zones where Palestinians may still move farther west — has been marked by yellow concrete blocks since Oct. 20 last year, following the first Israeli withdrawal from parts of the enclave under a ceasefire agreement that took effect earlier that month.

Life on the boundary

Near the line east of Khan Younis, residents describe Israeli tanks, bulldozers and near-daily gunfire that have transformed life into a constant struggle. "There is nowhere left to go," Abdullah al-Astal told Anadolu Agency, adding that Israeli tanks regularly escort bulldozers demolishing homes while gunfire from military vehicles rarely stops. Al-Astal, who lives close to the line, pointed to nearby homes whose residents were wounded by Israeli fire and warned that further expansion would confine hundreds of thousands to even smaller areas after repeated displacement.

Fears in northern Gaza

In Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, resident Hamdi Malaka expressed similar concerns amid rubble and collapsed homes surrounding residential blocks. "If they want to occupy all of Gaza, they should say it clearly instead of talking about yellow and red lines," Malaka told Anadolu Agency, noting that his neighborhood already sits adjacent to the yellow line. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in overcrowded displacement camps suffering severe shortages of food, water and medical care.

Escalating casualties

Last week, the Palestinian group Hamas called on the "Peace Council" to take a clear position regarding Israeli statements about plans to control 70% of the territory. Israel's military campaign in Gaza since October 2023 has killed nearly 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 173,000, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, the Israeli army has killed 947 Palestinians and injured 2,935 in near-daily attacks, the ministry said.