Easily explained
Israel is building a road that will divide Gaza in half. Where is the road? And what is the plan behind it? The new route across Gaza – simply explained.
Israel is building a new road through the Gaza Strip. It divides the enclave in half. The four most important questions.
Where is the road?
The roughly eight-kilometer-long gravel road runs from east to west, across the middle of the Gaza Strip, dividing it into northern and southern halves. The area through which the road runs is rather sparsely populated. The road begins at the Israeli border kibbutz Nahal Oz and runs from there almost to the sea. The army already controls all major roads running from north to south in the Gaza Strip.
What is the road intended for?
According to Israeli Defense Force (IDF) spokespeople, the road is intended to facilitate troop movements and speed up logistical support. The army also expects better security control over Gaza – also in the long term. If troops are withdrawn, Israel’s army can move comparatively safely and quickly through Gaza on self-built roads. I
So will Gaza be divided into north and south by the road?
The fear of many observers is that Israel’s army could use the road to prevent around a million people from returning to the north of the Gaza Strip. In the first months of the war, residents were asked to leave their homes to head south. The Israeli bombardment and ground offensive followed them from north to south all the way to Rafah. 1.3 million people have now fled here, to the border town with Egypt. The Israeli government has announced that it will also storm Rafah with ground troops if all hostages are not released by the start of Ramadan. Israel has also announced that the military will not allow refugees to return from south to north until military operations in the north are completed. If the displaced residents of North Gaza wanted to return, they would have to pass through the new road – which the military controls. Israel has divided occupied territory in the past to better control it.
Why is Israel now creating buffer zones in Gaza?
The Israeli military is currently building a one-kilometer-wide buffer zone directly on the Gaza Strip’s border with Israel. Palestinians are no longer allowed to enter the area. Buffer zones are intended to help the army better control the area and prevent attacks. Many residents of the kibbutzim where Hamas carried out massacres on October 7 no longer feel safe without an increased distance from Gaza. However, the buffer zones also reduce the habitable area in the Gaza Strip. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned Israel against changing Gaza’s borders or dividing the territory, including through such buffer zones.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
