The Israeli military is quietly but quickly building a giant earthen barrier separating the over 50 percent of Gaza it occupies from the rest of the territory, according to satellite imagery, further entrenching the division of the tensely-populated Palestinian enclave.
More than 23 kilometres (14 miles) have been constructed in recent months, running through Palestinian communities demolished by the military. That is equivalent to more than half the length of the coastal enclave, which is some 40 kilometres (25 miles) long and 11 kilometres (7 miles) wide, and home to over 2 million Palestinians.
When presented with the satellite images, Israel’s military confirmed to The Associated Press it has built a physical barrier in the area of the so-called “Yellow Line”, the boundary to which Israeli troops withdrew under the October ceasefire deal with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
The line was envisioned in the US-backed agreement as a temporary division of the territory pending a fuller Israeli withdrawal.
But as the truce stagnates, it appears Israel is digging in, heightening Palestinian fears that the line is morphing into a border.
Neither US Central Command, which is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire, nor the Board of Peace, the body led by US President Donald Trump meant to eventually oversee Gaza, would comment on the barrier.
Along with the barrier, the military told AP it has developed a “security zone” around the line, equipped with intelligence and technological assets. It declined to give details on the route of the barrier when asked how far it would be extended.
It said the barrier aimed to prevent infiltration and protect Israeli troops and Israeli communities near Gaza.
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Construction of the barrier is proceeding rapidly
Since the ceasefire deal took hold, Palestinians in Gaza have feared Israel would not return the area of Gaza it occupies. But few appear to be aware of the berms now being built around them because of the danger of even approaching that area.
A portion of the berm network in southern Gaza was extended by more than 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) in two weeks this month, according to the satellite images provided by Planet Labs PBC.
The berm was about 500 meters (0.3 miles) long on July 1. By July 15, it was about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles), splicing the Israel-controlled ruins of the city of Rafah from Muwasi, site of some of the largest Palestinian tent camps.
If construction continues in its current direction, it will join up with the longest stretch of the barrier, which runs nearly unbroken for around 17 kilometres (10 miles) from the southern city of Khan Younis to near Gaza City, in the north.
Construction began on that stretch in February, and it appears work to extend it further south is continuing, according to the satellite images.
More than a kilometre (0.6 miles) was added between June 21 and July 7, running close to an Israeli military base built on the ruins of the town of Bani Suheila, near Khan Younis.
In the far north of Gaza, several unconnected stretches of berms run just outside the largely levelled town of Beit Lahia.
The height of the berms in each place remains unclear. In some places, the barriers appear to run outside the Yellow Line.
