Israeli Army Expands Its Control in Eastern Gaza City
Dozens of Palestinian families have fled towards the western parts of the city after their homes fell within the newly expanded perimeter of the “Yellow Line”.
At dawn on Sunday, the Israeli army expanded the areas it occupies in eastern Gaza City and wounded two Palestinians, including a pregnant woman. This latest violation of the ceasefire agreement in force in the enclave since October 10, 2025, forced dozens of families to leave their homes, renewing their suffering a year after the agreement took effect.
For approximately a week, eastern parts of the Gaza Strip, particularly the eastern sections of Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah and Shujaiya neighbourhoods, have experienced nighttime explosive demolitions, gunfire and intense artillery shelling, alongside military vehicle movements near the “Yellow Line”.
The line separates areas occupied by the Israeli army in the east from areas where Palestinians are permitted to remain in the west.
Local Palestinian sources said Israeli military vehicles advanced several dozen metres beyond their areas of control in Shujaiya during the night from Saturday into Sunday, under cover of heavy gunfire and artillery shelling.
The sources added that the troops were accompanied by “armed Palestinian militias collaborating with and supported by the army”, with aerial cover provided by quadcopter drones. They said the army fired heavily towards the area stretching from the vegetable market in the east to the Shujaiya junction on Salah al-Din Street in the west.
Israeli bullets struck residents’ homes already damaged by the genocidal war, as well as tents sheltering displaced people.
Medical sources said the gunfire left two Palestinians, including a pregnant woman, moderately wounded. They were taken to Al-Ahli Hospital, also known as the Baptist Hospital. Local sources reported that the Israeli army carried out two explosive demolitions of buildings and houses nearby during the night, causing powerful blasts before withdrawing.
At dawn, Palestinians in Shujaiya discovered that the concrete blocks marking the “Yellow Line” had been moved westwards and placed in front of their homes, indicating a further expansion of Israeli military control in eastern Gaza City.
One resident said they had endured a “terrifying and frightening night” amid explosions and heavy fire from the Israeli army and its vehicles, only to find themselves surrounded by concrete blocks in the morning.
The development forced dozens of Palestinian families to flee towards western Gaza City after their homes fell within the newly expanded area of Israeli control.
Although the vehicles withdrew after the incursion, the placement of concrete blocks indicates that the area has been incorporated into the army’s control perimeter, leaving residents exposed to danger.
Since the ceasefire took effect, the “Yellow Line” has changed from a temporary withdrawal line into a boundary on the ground that the Israeli army is gradually pushing westwards.
This comes amid stalled negotiations on moving to the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, on which the agreement is based, and Israel’s announced rejection of the plan presented by the “Board of Peace” last August.
When implementation of the agreement began, Israel announced that its forces had withdrawn behind the “Yellow Line”, leaving approximately 53% of the enclave under occupation. Over the following year, it expanded its control to cover 63% of the territory.
In televised remarks on September 30, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government would not return to Palestinians the areas occupied by its army during the genocidal war.
On October 2, a website affiliated with the Israeli army also quoted Gaza Division commander Liron Batito as saying that the army controlled 63% of the enclave and had established 40 new military positions. He said this gave it “freedom of action on the ground”.
Since Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip began in October 2023, more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 175,000 wounded. Destruction has also affected approximately 90% of the infrastructure.
