In the Gaza Strip, Israel has substantially increased its control since restarting its conflict with Hamas last month. The country now holds over 50% of the territory and is forcing Palestinians into smaller sections of land. Israel’s military has leveled Palestinian homes, agricultural lands, and infrastructure to create a buffer zone deemed uninhabitable by Israeli soldiers and human rights groups. This buffer zone, doubled in size recently, is portrayed by Israel as a necessary measure to coerce Hamas into releasing hostages. However, the land Israel occupies, including a corridor dividing the territory of Gaza, could enable long-term domination over the area, according to human rights organizations and experts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that after defeating Hamas, Israel will retain security control in Gaza and encourage Palestinians to leave.
Since the war began 18 months ago, Israeli forces have systematically demolished infrastructure and expanded this buffer zone. Soldiers have reported witnessing their forces turn the area into a barren landscape. A report from Breaking The Silence, an anti-occupation group, details accounts from soldiers who have observed the military’s efforts to establish control over the region through destruction. The Israeli army asserts its actions are necessary to protect its citizens and adhere to international law, denying any intention to harm civilians.
In the initial phase of the war, Israeli troops displaced Palestinians from bordering communities and razed the land to establish a buffer zone exceeding one kilometer (0.62 miles) deep. They also took control of a corridor known as the Netzarim Corridor, significantly reducing connectivity within the Gaza Strip. Currently, the buffer zone and the Netzarim Corridor comprise at least half of the Gaza Strip. Israel has also plans to create another corridor in southern Gaza, further dividing the territory.
The destruction has transformed once-dense neighborhoods into ruins and affected hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, including farmers whose livelihoods depended on this land. The systematic razing of properties within the buffer zone is considered more thorough and deliberate compared to the broader destruction caused by Israel’s attacks throughout the war. Israeli soldiers have been ordered to destroy farmlands, irrigation systems, crops, thousands of buildings, and infrastructure, ostensibly to eliminate hiding spots for militants.
Soldiers have alleged that the buffer zone functions as a “kill zone” where Palestinians encountered are shot without distinction. An armored bulldozer was reportedly used to flatten the land, deliberately targeting anyone approaching the tanks, including civilians. The Israeli army denies these claims, stating that their operations are based on intelligence and that they strive to minimize harm to non-combatants.
The question remains how long Israel will maintain its presence in buffer zones and other parts of Gaza. Netanyahu has announced plans to use the increased control to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages and to eventually establish Israeli security control in Gaza. Some Israeli analysts see the buffer zone as a temporary measure to secure the border until Hamas is dismantled, a position dismissed by human rights groups as a form of ethnic cleansing, given the clear indication that Palestinians would not be allowed to return. Israel rejects such accusations, stating that evacuations are conducted to protect civilians from combat zones.
Source: https://time.com/7275400/israel-dramatically-expands-gaza-footprint/
