Aletho News

Israel expands Netzarim corridor to include ‘permanent outposts’

The Cradle | August 26, 2024

Israeli forces have expanded the Netzarim corridor in the Gaza Strip to include four large “outposts” designed to permanently house troops, according to satellite imagery reviewed by Hebrew news site Ynet.

“The IDF has been working to expand the corridor … Four large outposts were established in the corridor, for the permanent stay of hundreds of fighters,” the Israeli outlet reported on 26 August.

Ynet explains that Israel recently launched an operation in Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighborhood, where Israeli troops have operated several times since the start of the war, failing to root out Hamas’ Qassam Brigades.

Four reservist soldiers have been killed in the operation, including one on Sunday by an explosive device planted by the Palestinian resistance. The ongoing operation in Zaytoun was launched specifically “to expand” the Netzarim corridor, which lies in close proximity to the Gaza City neighborhood, the report said.

“In the raid, the forces were required to locate tunnels, terrorist infrastructures and weapons of Hamas. The brigade raid continues, and includes hitting the terrorists and destroying munitions stocks that threaten the forces in Netzarim.”

The Netzarim corridor was established by Israeli forces during the early months of the war on Gaza. The corridor, which runs through the former grounds of the old Netzarim settlement, splits the strip in two and prevents the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.

“The corridor was established … to prevent the return of armed terrorists to the north of the Gaza Strip, and to generally prevent the return of Palestinians to the north of the Gaza Strip. Palestinians can move south – but not in the opposite direction,” Ynet explains, reinforcing the Israeli narrative that displaced Gazans returning to the north as part of any agreement are actually militants.

Israeli forces have set up a “newly constructed operational route … and a drainage point” along the corridor to prevent displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza from returning to their homes in the north, Ynet goes on to say.

The report further confirms Israel’s plan for a permanent presence in the Gaza Strip. Israeli defense officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal in February said the corridor is part of Tel Aviv’s “plans to maintain security control over the enclave for some time.”

Israeli forces stationed at Netzarim have come under numerous attacks by Palestinian resistance factions since the corridor was established.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the Forensic Architecture research group last week revealed that Israeli forces are also working on a new east-to-west land corridor near Gaza City’s Beit Hanoun. Over the past several months, Israeli troops have destroyed Palestinian homes and farmlands to establish this new corridor, according to Forensic Architecture.

A photo that circulated on social media on 25 August shows that Israeli forces have built an asphalt road on the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza–Egypt border in the southern strip.

The Netzarim corridor, as well as the Philadelphi corridor and Rafah crossing on the Gaza–Egypt border, are two of the main topics that have complicated ceasefire talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting on keeping troops in these areas despite Hamas’ demands for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Netanyahu insists on a screening and inspection mechanism at the Netzarim corridor to inspect Gazans returning to the north as part of any agreement.

The premier also insists that any captive exchange be followed by a continuation of the war. As a result, ceasefire talks have yielded no results.

August 26, 2024 - Posted by aletho | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | Human rights, Israel, Palestine, Zionism