Fenced Israeli occupation bulldozers removing rubbish caused by incessant air strikes on Palestine and its people. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP.
Satellite imagery analyzed by the Forensic Architecture research group reveals the building of a new Israeli army land corridor east of Gaza City in the northern strip since November.
“Our analysis of satellite imagery from November 2023 through July 2024 reveals evidence of a new Israeli military corridor east of Gaza City,” Forensic Architecture wrote on 20 August in an update to a report from March.
“This new corridor constitutes the second Israeli-built east–west passage through Gaza, after the so-called ‘Netzarim Corridor.’ Together, these corridors are infrastructural indications of an intended permanent Israeli military presence in the northern parts of the occupied Gaza Strip,” the research group added.
Our analysis of satellite imagery from Nov 2023 – Jul 2024 reveals evidence of a new Israeli military corridor east of Gaza City. This new corridor is the second Israeli-built east-west passage through Gaza, after the so-called ‘Netzarim Corridor’. These corridors are… pic.twitter.com/JFBFJB9glR
— Forensic Architecture (@ForensicArchi) August 20, 2024
The Netzarim corridor was established by Israeli forces during the early months of the war on Gaza.
The corridor, which runs through the former grounds of the old Netzarim settlement, splits the strip in two and prevents the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
Israeli defense officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in February said the corridor is part of Tel Aviv’s “plans to maintain security control over the enclave for some time.”
The Netzarim corridor is linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conditions in ceasefire talks that displaced civilians returning to the northern strip must be subjected to a screening and inspection mechanism.
Netanyahu said on 20 August that Israel refuses any withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor, as well as the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza–Egypt border, seized by Israeli troops in May. His comments cast further doubt on the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement to end the war, which has devastated the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The Philadelphi corridor has for years been a lifeline to the Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza. Israel wants a permanent presence there to stifle weapons smuggling through the corridor into Gaza.
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The new corridor east of Gaza City is located near the town of Beit Hanoun, according to Forensic Architecture.
Farms and orchards belonging to the displaced Abu Suffiyeh family, as well as homes, have been cleared out by Israeli forces for the establishment of this new corridor, which began in November. The road provides Israel with direct access to Gaza City.
Netanyahu confirmed in November that Israel plans an “indefinite” military and security presence in Gaza.
This indefinite presence is also part of Netanyahu’s “day-after” plan for the strip.
