IDF expands Gaza control to 58% as truce line shifts

Gaza City: Israeli forces have been moving the agreed “yellow line” truce boundary westwards over the last six months, significantly expanding their zone of control in Gaza. This line, established during a US-brokered ceasefire in October, was intended to be temporary. However, researchers at Forensic Architecture state that Israel now controls 58% of the territory, up from 53% in original maps, reports The Guardian.

Residents like Faiq al-Sakani describe the line moving overnight, turning neighborhoods into free-fire zones. In January, the boundary reached the crucial Salah al-Din road. The military has fortified this creeping border with 10 miles of earth berms and 32 concrete outposts. Alongside the visible yellow line, an unmarked “orange line” creates a lethal buffer zone. 

The UN reports that 10 of its facilities, including emergency shelters, have been swallowed by this shifting boundary. Scholar Ahmad Ibsais describes these security arrangements as a “method of annexation” intended to displace the Palestinian population. Conversely, the IDF defends the manoeuvers as necessary operational updates to protect troops. 

A spokesperson emphasised that signs are posted to warn civilians, though residents claim the markers move without notice. 

The military maintains it does not target civilians solely for proximity to the sensitive and dangerous operational environment.