Israel secretly builds wall cutting through Gaza Strip

The Israeli army is rapidly and secretly building a massive wall that separates more than half of the Gaza Strip, under its control, from the rest of Palestinian territory, satellite images show.

According to available data, more than 23 kilometers of earthen wall have been built in the past few months, passing through Palestinian settlements demolished during the Israeli aggression, writes the Associated Press (AP).

This represents more than half the length of the Gaza Strip, which stretches for about 40 kilometers and is up to 11 kilometers wide, and is home to more than two million Palestinians.

After being presented with satellite imagery, the Israeli military confirmed to the AP that it had built a physical barrier along the so-called "yellow line," the border to which Israeli forces withdrew under an October ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

According to the agreement, which was supported by the United States, the line was to represent a temporary border until the more complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

However, as the ceasefire does not progress as expected, Israel appears to be consolidating its positions, further increasing Palestinian fears that the line could become a new border.

Neither the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is in charge of overseeing the ceasefire, nor the Peace Committee, the body headed by US President Donald Trump and which is supposed to oversee the future of Gaza, wanted to comment on the construction of the walls.

In addition to the barrier, the Israeli military told the AP it has also developed a "security zone" along the line, equipped with intelligence and technological systems. The military would not disclose details about the route of the barrier or how far it plans to extend it.

She stated that the goal of the barrier is to prevent infiltration and protect Israeli soldiers and Israeli communities near Gaza.

Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, Palestinians in Gaza have feared that Israel will not return the territory it currently controls.

However, few of them know about the earthen ramparts that are now being built around them, as approaching the area is extremely dangerous.

According to satellite images provided by the company Planet Labs PBC, part of the wall network in southern Gaza was extended by more than two kilometers in two weeks this month.

The wall was about 500 meters long on July 1, and by July 15 it had reached a length of about 2,4 kilometers. It separates the ruins of the Israeli-controlled town of Rafah from the Muwasi area, where some of the largest Palestinian tent camps are located.

If construction continues at this pace, this section of the wall could connect with the longest existing section of the barrier, which stretches almost continuously for about 17 kilometers from the southern city of Khan Yunis to an area near Gaza City in the north.

Work on that section began in February, and satellite images show that its further expansion continues southward.

Between June 21 and July 7, more than a kilometer of ramparts were added, near the Israeli military base built on the ruins of the town of Bani Suheil near Khan Yunis.

In the far north of Gaza, several disconnected sections of the wall extend right next to the largely razed town of Beit Lahia.

The height of these ramparts is currently unknown. In some places, the barriers appear to extend beyond the so-called "yellow line."

The population of Gaza is largely confined to the coastal area west of the line, where most people live in poor conditions in tent camps and depend on humanitarian aid.

On the other side of the line, satellite images show that Israeli forces have bulldozed and used explosives to demolish a large number of buildings, virtually wiping out entire settlements, including Rafah, which was previously home to more than 250.000 people.

Israeli forces have built new roads and military bases on the ruins of Palestinian towns, while much of the agricultural land has been destroyed. The Israeli military says it is removing infrastructure used by Hamas.

The "yellow line" was never precisely defined, neither in the ceasefire agreement nor by Israeli or American officials, and it was marked differently on the ground.

The Israeli military told the AP that it was working to more clearly mark the route of the line to "reduce tensions and prevent injury to people not involved in the conflict."

Israeli forces have killed Palestinians who have approached or crossed the line. The military says it opens fire on those it considers a threat to its soldiers. However, the dead included children and other civilians who were reportedly unaware of the border.

Some soldiers stated that they did not always know who they were shooting at and that they had orders to kill anyone who crossed the line.

Since the ceasefire began, Israeli forces have killed more than 1.100 Palestinians, mostly in airstrikes and drone strikes across Gaza. During the same period, militant attacks have killed five Israeli soldiers.

An Israeli strike in Gaza City early this morning killed a couple and their four children, aged six to 13, Shifa Hospital said. The Israeli military said only that it had carried out an attack on Hamas members in the area during that period.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to eventually withdraw to the Gaza border, with international security forces taking over its positions. However, implementation of the deal has been stalled for months.

A former United Nations diplomat who is now coordinating the ceasefire blamed Hamas for its failure to disarm.

Intermittent negotiations on how to hand over weapons have not made significant progress, while Hamas retaliates with accusations that Israel is violating the ceasefire agreement.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1.200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a major military offensive that killed more than 73.000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry, which was part of the dissolved Hamas-run government, keeps detailed records that are largely considered reliable by UN agencies and international organizations.