Israel expands northern Gaza occupation beyond 'yellow line', bombs south

The Israeli military has spent the past 24 hours expanding the so-called “yellow line”, stealing more land and squeezing Palestinians into ever smaller clusters of the besieged Gaza Strip.

The occupation military’s expansion of the ceasefire line took place particularly in eastern Gaza City’s Tuffah, Shujayea, and Zeitoun neighborhoods on Monday.

The latest reports indicate that Israeli forces were getting closer to the key artery of Salah al-Din Street, forcing displaced families sheltering near the area to flee as more of them come under threat.

Intense artillery bombardment and helicopter fire also resumed in the areas south of the besieged strip, north and east of the cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis.

The ongoing Israeli attacks on the ground were meant to eat up more of the territory across the eastern part of the blockaded Palestinian territory, Al Jazeera reported. 

Conditions in Gaza’s neighborhoods have become severely overcrowded, with populations in areas such as Zeitoun, Shujayea, and Tuffah not only doubling but in some cases tripling, as residents remain unable to return to their homes, added the report. 

Also on Sunday, Israel launched more attacks into parts of Gaza outside its direct military control. At least three Palestinians, including a child, were killed in separate Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis.

Israel already physically occupies at least 53 percent of the Gaza Strip.

Israel's military chief describes Gaza's dividing 'yellow line' as 'new border'

The Israeli military

The so-called “yellow line”, introduced under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, runs from northern Gaza to the outskirts of Rafah in the south.

The latest developments come as a winter storm in Gaza has compounded the misery of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in tents after more than two years of Israeli genocidal war. 

A five-storey building belonging to the al-Shana family in the Maghazi camp in central Gaza collapsed. It had been subjected to Israeli bombing at the end of 2023.

The WAFA news agency reported that Civil Defense teams are searching for missing people under the rubble. At least five people were injured. 

In addition to that, the Israeli military continues to block a large amount of international humanitarian aid amassing at the Gaza crossings.

US-brokered 'yellow line' becomes death line as Israel forces out Gaza residents

Thousands of families have fled their homes as the Israeli military enforces the so-called yellow line under US-brokered Gaza deal.

Despite a US-brokered truce, Israel allows only a fraction of the promised aid into Gaza, leaving the population facing intense food insecurity.

Meanwhile, some local media reports said expectations have heightened around the possible reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, fueling both desperate hope and deep fear.

For many in Gaza, there is some hope it could offer a lifeline, allowing the sick and wounded to access medical care.

But others fear it could become a one-way exit, raising concerns about permanent expulsion, effectively Israeli ethnic cleansing, and whether those who leave will be allowed to return.

At least 420 people have been killed since the ceasefire was enforced three months ago.

At least 71,388 Palestinians have been killed and 171,269 injured since the start of the war in October 2023.

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