Israeli military action in Gaza has once again deepened the humanitarian crisis. Israeli soldiers shot and killed at least 77 Palestinians accused of crossing the unclear ceasefire line. Gaza health officials say the line is unclear in many places, causing people to cross it inadvertently and lose their lives. It is reported that this so-called “Yellow Line” marks the area from which Israeli forces withdrew under the ceasefire in October. Palestinians living near this line live in fear, as the army fires almost daily at those who approach or accidentally cross it.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 447 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect. At least 77 of these people were victims of Israeli fire near the Yellow Line, while 77 died while crossing the line. An Associated Press investigation has found that teenagers and young children are among the dead. The Israeli military has installed yellow barrels and concrete barriers in some places to mark the border, but in many areas the line remains unmarked. In some places, the ceasefire agreement has pushed the border as far as half a kilometer, leading Palestinians to allege that Israeli-controlled territory is steadily expanding.
“We stay away from the yellow barrels. No one dares go near them,” said Ahmed Abu Jahl, a resident of Gaza City. He explained that the markings are only 100 meters from his home, while Israeli army maps indicate the distance is 500 meters. The Israeli military has acknowledged killing 57 people around the Yellow Line as of Tuesday, claiming most of them were militants. The army says soldiers first fire warning shots, then warning shots, but in many cases civilians were killed. Israel has withdrawn its forces to a 7-kilometer-deep buffer zone, which includes most of Gaza’s fertile land, highlands, and all border crossings. This has forced more than 2 million Palestinians to live in coastal and central Gaza.
Fadel Naeem, director of Al-Ahli Hospital, said that almost daily, people of all ages arrive at the emergency room with gunshot wounds. Many are brought in dead. He added that the massive destruction has made it extremely difficult to identify the ceasefire line. According to reports, because the line is unclear, people inadvertently cross it and become victims of Israeli fire. Hospital director Naeem himself recounted that he once nearly crossed the border in Khan Younis when locals shouted for him to return.