JERUSALEM / AA

** The Israeli newspaper, based on recent satellite images:

- The army has been establishing a land barrier kilometers long inside the Gaza Strip for months, extending hundreds of meters outside the yellow line in two locations

- The barrier consists of an earthen embankment and a trench, and contributes to expanding the area under army control to 65 percent of Gaza's area.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that the Israeli army is establishing a land barrier in the Gaza Strip that extends hundreds of meters outside the 'yellow line' in two locations.

This line defines the area to which the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw under the first phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to stop the genocide being committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

According to an investigation by the Israeli newspaper based on recent satellite images, the barrier consists mostly of an earthen embankment and a trench, and has contributed to expanding the area under army control to 65 percent of the Strip's area.

On October 8, 2023, Israel, with US support, began a genocide in Gaza, which to date has left over 73,000 Palestinian dead and some 174,000 wounded, mostly children and women.

After announcing its withdrawal to the 'yellow line', the Israeli army said in October 2025 that it controls 53 percent of Gaza's area.

Haaretz explained that the land barrier's route partially extends hundreds of meters outside the 'yellow line', and has entered the area defined at the announcement of the ceasefire as under the control of the Hamas movement.

It added that the barrier exceeds the 'yellow line' by more than a kilometer at one point south of the Gaza Strip.

It reported that the Israeli army has been working for months to build the barrier, which extends many kilometers inside Gaza.

Initially, the barrier was built along the 'yellow line', according to the newspaper, which said its maximum deviation at that time inside the area defined as under Hamas control was 180 meters.

But images taken by Planet Labs in July last year showed that the barrier now extends hundreds of meters outside the 'yellow line' in two locations south of the Gaza Strip, according to the newspaper.

In the Khan Younis area, part of the barrier extends about 400 meters outside the 'yellow line' along Salah al-Din Road, a main road connecting the north of the Strip to its south.

In the Rafah area, the barrier exceeds the 'yellow line' by about 1,300 meters at one point.

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