Gaza Herald_ Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir described the so-called “Yellow Line” in the Gaza Strip as a “new security boundary” for Israel, during a field tour in southern Gaza.
According to a statement by the Israeli army spokesperson on Wednesday evening, Zamir made the remarks while accompanied by senior military commanders, including Southern Command chief Yaniv Asor and Commander of Division 143 Barak Hiram.
Genocidal War on Gaza Continues
On October 8, 2023, Israel, with full American support, launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in more than 71,000 Palestinians killed and 171,000 wounded, the majority of them women and children, in addition to massive destruction.
Claims of Military “Achievements”
In a speech to Israeli forces, Zamir claimed that in 2025 the army had achieved “unprecedented accomplishments,” chief among them what he described as a “fatal blow” to Hamas and the destruction of all its main combat units.
Regional Escalation Beyond Gaza
In addition to the war on Gaza, Israel carried out a series of aggressive actions in 2025 against several countries, including launching wars on Lebanon and Iran, conducting airstrikes and ground incursions in Syria and Lebanon, as well as air raids on Yemen and one strike on Qatar.
Prisoner Issue and Ceasefire Violations
Zamir stated that Israel is seeking to recover the body of the last captive, assistant Ran Gvili, claiming this would conclude the phase of retrieving captives from Gaza.
Hamas is currently engaged in a prisoner exchange with Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10. Israel has violated the agreement daily, resulting in the killing of at least 415 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health on Wednesday.
2026 as a “Decisive Year”
Zamir described 2026 as a “decisive year” for shaping Israel’s security reality.
He added: “We are fully determined to disarm Hamas and the rest of the terrorist organizations, and we will not allow Hamas to rebuild its capabilities or threaten us again,” using Israeli military terminology.
Hamas rejects disarmament, proposing instead the freezing or storage of weapons, and insists it is a resistance movement confronting Israel, which the United Nations recognizes as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories.
The ‘Yellow Line’ and Territorial Control
Zamir went on to say: “We are now positioned on the Yellow Line, which constitutes a new security boundary.”
He described the line as an “enhanced defensive contact line and a rapid launch base for offensive operations.”
The Yellow Line separates Israeli military deployment areas, which now cover more than 50 percent of Gaza’s territory in the east, from areas in the west where Palestinians are permitted to move.
Israel continues to commit daily deadly violations of the ceasefire in areas where Palestinians are present.
Temporary Measure, Permanent Impact
The Yellow Line is considered a temporary arrangement under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which stipulates that Israel is supposed to carry out broader withdrawals from Gaza, ultimately leading to a complete pullout from the besieged territory, which has been under blockade for more than 18 years.
Israel has conditioned the start of the second phase of the agreement on receiving the body of the final captive in Gaza, while Hamas says recovery may take time due to the massive destruction across the Strip.
