Satellite imagery shows Israel constructing a massive earth barrier dividing more than half of Gaza from the remainder of the Strip.
Key Developments
- More than 23 kilometers of earth barriers have been built across Gaza.
- The barrier cuts through destroyed Palestinian communities.
- Israel says the project protects nearby settlements and military positions.
- Satellite imagery indicates construction continues to expand rapidly.
Satellite imagery has revealed that the Israeli military is constructing a massive earth barrier that divides more than half of the Gaza Strip from the rest of the Palestinian territory, further entrenching Israel’s territorial control over the besieged enclave.
According to the Associated Press, more than 23 kilometers (14 miles) of earth embankments have been built during recent months across neighborhoods and towns destroyed by Israeli forces.
The barrier stretches across more than half of Gaza’s approximately 40-kilometer coastline, cutting through densely populated areas that were once home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
After reviewing the satellite images, the Israeli military confirmed to the Associated Press that it had constructed the barrier along the so-called “yellow line,” established following the October 2025 ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
Israel said the barrier forms part of a broader security zone equipped with surveillance and intelligence systems intended to prevent infiltration and protect nearby Israeli settlements and military forces.
Satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs showed that one section of the barrier south of Rafah expanded from roughly 500 meters on July 1 to approximately 2.4 kilometers by July 15, severing Rafah from the Al-Mawasi area, where some of Gaza’s largest displacement camps are located.
If construction continues at its current pace, the southern segment will connect with another nearly continuous 17-kilometer section stretching from Khan Yunis toward Gaza City.
Additional construction has also been documented near the ruins of Bani Suheila, where Israel has established a military base, while separate earth barriers continue to expand near the devastated town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.
The full height and final extent of the barriers remain unclear, although satellite imagery suggests that sections extend beyond the self-declared “yellow line.”
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(QNN, AP, PC)
