The Israeli army is building a large earthen barrier in Gaza to separate the more than 50 percent of the enclave under its control from the rest, satellite images reveal. The barrier, composed of an earth berm and trench, extends significantly beyond the so-called “yellow line” that marks the border between Israeli-controlled and Palestinian territory under a US-backed ceasefire agreement signed in October 2025, according to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper.

In Khan Younis, the barrier stretches about 400 metres (a quarter of a mile) past the yellow line, while in the Rafah area it reaches approximately 1,300 metres (4,260 feet) beyond the line. Built over recent months, the barrier is already longer than 23 kilometers (14 miles), the Associated Press reported.

The construction has intensified Palestinian fears that Israel will never relinquish control over most of Gaza. The barrier cuts through Palestinian communities whose homes, infrastructure, and agricultural land have been devastated during the conflict that began in 2023.

March participant Daniel Sellem stated, “We are walking today to tell the government of Israel and show all the world that this land belongs to us and that Gaza really belongs to us and that we want to go back there.”

The barrier's extension beyond the ceasefire line was reportedly approved under the US-backed agreement, highlighting ongoing tensions over Gaza's future.

Sources