Israel Expands Gaza Occupation Beyond ‘Yellow Line,’ Intensifies Bombing in Southern Regions

Northern Gaza: Encroachment and Displacement

Israeli forces have significantly expanded their occupation in the northern Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, pushing beyond the previously established “yellow line” in eastern Gaza City. According to Al Jazeera teams on the ground, the military operations are concentrated in the neighborhoods of Tuffah, Shujayea, and Zeitoun, systematically reducing the areas where civilians can seek shelter.

This advance brings Israeli troops closer to the crucial Salah al-Din Street, a key north-south artery. The movement has triggered a new wave of displacement, forcing families sheltering nearby to flee under intensive threat. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, described a dire situation of overcrowding.

“The ongoing Israeli attacks on the ground, the expansion of the ‘yellow line’ are meant to eat up more of the territory across the eastern part, really shrinking the total area where people are sheltering,” Mahmoud said. “Everyone is cramped here. The population here not just doubled but tripled in many of the neighborhoods… We’re talking about Zeitoun, Shujayea, as well as Tuffah.”

He reported a constant backdrop of military activity, with the sounds of drones and explosions persisting through the night and day. With this expansion, Israel now physically occupies more than 50 percent of the Gaza Strip.

Southern Gaza: Sustained Aerial and Artillery Assault

While consolidating control in the north, Israel has resumed intense bombardment in southern Gaza. On Monday, areas north and east of the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis came under heavy artillery fire and helicopter attacks. This follows Sunday’s attacks outside Israel’s direct ground control, where medical sources confirmed at least three Palestinians were killed in separate strikes in Khan Younis.

Further north, in central Gaza’s Maghazi camp, a five-story building belonging to the al-Shana family—previously damaged by Israeli bombing at the end of 2023—collapsed. Civil Defence teams are currently searching for missing people under the rubble. The Wafa news agency reported at least five injuries from the collapse.

Mounting Casualties Amidst a Fragile Truce

The latest figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health report that at least 71,386 Palestinians have been killed and 171,264 injured since the war began in October 2023. Despite a ceasefire deal mediated by the United States three months ago, violence has persisted. Since that truce took effect, Israeli attacks have killed at least 414 Palestinians and injured 1,145 in daily violations, bringing the post-ceasefire death toll to at least 420.

The Rafah Crossing: A Conduit for Hope or Fear?

Expectations and anxieties are simultaneously rising around the possible reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. For Gaza’s beleaguered population, it represents a potential lifeline—a chance for the critically sick and wounded to access treatment, for separated families to reunite, and for limited movement in and out of the enclave.

However, profound fears overshadow this hope. Many Palestinians suspect any reopening will be limited, temporary, and selective. A predominant fear, as reported by Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, is that Israel intends for the crossing to function as a “one-way exit.”

“So far, we know the Israeli military is pushing for Rafah to be just a one-way exit,” Mahmoud stated. This raises acute concerns about permanent expulsion and the specter of ethnic cleansing, leaving people to wonder if those who leave will ever be permitted to return. After months of trauma and destruction, even the prospect of relief is met with deep caution and mistrust over what will happen next.

Aid Blockade Continues Amidst Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

Compounding the catastrophe, the Israeli military continues to obstruct a significant portion of international humanitarian aid amassed at Gaza’s crossings. This blockade persists despite urgent, on-the-ground testimonies from the United Nations and other aid agencies describing severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic supplies. Israel maintains its position that there is no shortage of aid in Gaza.

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