Israel building earthen barrier in Gaza to entrench division of the enclave

Satellite images reveal the Israeli army is constructing a substantial earthen barrier, comprising an earth berm and a trench, in Gaza. This barrier, built over several months and already exceeding 23km, extends significantly beyond the “yellow line” established by a US-backed October 2025 ceasefire agreement, which was intended as a temporary demarcation.

“I intend to establish three Nahal outposts, which is also a military entity, in those places that were in northern Gaza,”

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated. The construction, which cuts through Palestinian communities, fuels fears among Palestinians that Israel intends to permanently control over 50% of the enclave, preventing their return to destroyed homes and agricultural lands. Thousands of Israelis, including settlers, have marched to the Gaza border, advocating for the re-establishment of Israeli settlements, with one participant stating, “Gaza really belongs to us and that we want to go back there.”