Israel building earthen barrier in Gaza to entrench division of the enclave
Israel is constructing an earthen barrier with trenches across Gaza that extends significantly beyond the demarcation line agreed in a US-backed October 2025 ceasefire. The barrier, already over 23 kilometres long, has intensified Palestinian concerns that Israel intends to permanently retain control of Gaza territory.
Satellite imagery has revealed that Israeli forces are building a substantial earthen barrier consisting of berms and trenches across Gaza, according to reporting by Israel's Haaretz newspaper. The structure extends well beyond the so-called "yellow line" that was established under a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States in October 2025 to separate Israeli-controlled territory from Palestinian areas.
The barrier's reach varies significantly across different locations. In Khan Younis, it extends approximately 400 metres beyond the designated line, while in the Rafah area it reaches roughly 1,300 metres past the demarcation point. Constructed over recent months, the barrier now spans more than 23 kilometres, representing a substantial portion of Gaza's total 40-kilometre length.
The construction has prompted deep concern among Palestinians, who fear the barrier signals Israel's intention to permanently retain control of most Gaza territory. The barrier cuts through Palestinian communities whose infrastructure and agricultural land have already been severely damaged during the conflict that began in 2023. Israeli officials have begun establishing military bases and new roads on the ruins of Palestinian towns, with Defence Minister Israel Katz publicly stating intentions to establish military outposts in northern Gaza.
These developments have galvanised Israeli right-wing activists and settlers, who organised a large march toward the Gaza border calling for the re-establishment of Israeli settlements. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza remain confined to crowded tent camps in coastal areas west of the yellow line, where they continue to face Israeli airstrikes and shortages of humanitarian aid.
The ceasefire agreement envisioned the yellow line as a temporary boundary pending Israel's eventual withdrawal to Gaza's perimeter, to be replaced by an international force. However, Israel's construction of the barrier suggests a hardening of positions, with the temporary demarcation potentially becoming a permanent border.
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