Israel expands Gaza control zone, displacing families who feel 'cornered'

Dozens of Palestinian families in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, have been displaced this week as Israeli troops expanded their control zone by 100 to 200 meters westward. The move has "cornered" residents, according to testimonies gathered by EFE.

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From 1997 we have built our homes here. Now it is as if it were the Day of Judgment. All the plants are destroyed, all the farms are razed, all the neighbors have dispersed.

Israeli military vehicles entered the area early Monday, placing new 'yellow line' markers within inhabited zones. Residents were instructed to evacuate their homes and hastily gather belongings. Nabil Jalil Abu Miri, a local resident, described the scene as akin to "the Day of Judgment," with destroyed homes, ravaged farms, and dispersed neighbors.

Abu Miri explained that Israeli forces provided advance warning before entering. "The people left, and they entered and destroyed everything; they left nothing. They brought the yellow line closer, which was about 120 meters from us before," he stated. The 'yellow line' refers to the Israeli troop withdrawal boundary.

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The people left, and they entered and destroyed everything; they left nothing. They brought the yellow line closer, which was about 120 meters from us before.

For Gaza residents and Israel, this line signifies the extent of Israeli military occupation within Gaza. Initially encompassing 53% of the enclave after a ceasefire in October, this zone has expanded significantly in recent months, now controlling approximately 70% of Gaza's territory. Basil Said, a farmer from the Abu al Ayin area, recounted having to move once already when the first yellow line was established. "This week they brought it closer, and now it's right next to us. They have cornered us," he told EFE.

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In that moment we left and came to live here, 200 meters from that line. This week they brought it closer, and now it is right next to us. They have cornered us.

Said also highlighted the severe impact on livelihoods, with restricted access to water and agricultural land. "Institutions and agricultural work committees tell you: 'You are east of (the Salah al Din road), they won't give you water.' They tell you to go west, but there is no available land there, it's full of displaced people," he added. The Salah al Din road, a major north-south artery in Gaza, now frequently falls within the Israeli militarized zone, leaving the area feeling "dead."

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The institutions and the agricultural work committees tell you: 'You are east of (the Salah al Din road), they won't give you water.' They tell you to go west, but there is no available land there, it's full of displaced people.