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Amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israel’s defense minister has declared that Israeli forces will maintain a presence in established security zones within the Gaza Strip even after the cessation of hostilities. These zones, created through the seizure of significant Gazan territory, are intended to act as a buffer to safeguard Israeli communities.
Israeli Forces to Remain in Gaza Security Zones Post-War
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that these security zones aim to furnish a “buffer” for the protection of Israeli settlements “in any temporary or permanent situation.” He further indicated that “tens of percent” of Palestinian land has been incorporated into these zones since the renewed Israeli military operations commenced three weeks prior.
Continued Blockade on Humanitarian Aid
Gallant affirmed that Israel will persist with its six-week blockade on humanitarian aid entering Gaza. This measure is reportedly designed to exert pressure on Hamas to release hostages, despite warnings from the United Nations about potentially “devastating” repercussions for the civilian population.
Palestinian Casualties Reported
Medical sources in Gaza reported that at least 24 Palestinians lost their lives in Israeli strikes across the territory on Wednesday.
The majority of these fatalities were reported in Gaza City, located in the northern part of the strip.
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Among the deceased were ten members of the Hassouna family, predominantly women and children. Fatema Hassouna, a young writer and photographer, was among those killed.
The BBC has sought comment from the Israeli military regarding the reported strike.
Further Incidents and Casualties
The Hamas-affiliated Civil Defence agency reported two fatalities resulting from an Israeli strike targeting tents housing displaced families at Yarmouk Stadium, situated to the north-west, on Tuesday night.
An additional two individuals were killed in a strike on a camp near the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the agency.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has stated that over 1,650 individuals have been killed since the resumption of hostilities on March 18th.
Displacement Crisis Worsens
The UN has indicated that 69% of Gaza is currently under active Israeli military evacuation orders. This encompasses a “no-go” zone along the borders with Israel and Egypt and the Wadi Gaza valley south of Gaza City, or a combination thereof. An estimated 500,000 people have been newly displaced, facing a lack of safe refuge.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assert they have eliminated “hundreds of terrorists” in strikes as troops have advanced into various areas in both northern and southern Gaza. The IDF has reportedly established a new corridor severing Rafah from Khan Younis and designated 30% of Gaza as an “operational security perimeter.”
Israel’s Stated Objectives
On Wednesday, Minister Gallant stated that the Israeli government’s policy in Gaza prioritizes “making every effort to secure the release of all hostages” still held captive and subsequently “building a bridge to defeat Hamas.”
The IDF is purportedly clearing areas of “terrorist infrastructure” with “significant force” and then incorporating these areas into “security zones”, according to the defense minister.
“Unlike previous operations, the IDF is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” he clarified.
“The IDF will maintain a presence in the security zones to serve as a buffer between the enemy and Israeli communities in any situation, temporary or permanent, in Gaza – similar to the arrangements in Lebanon and Syria.”
Aid Blockade Policy Reiterated
Gallant also emphasized Israel’s resolve to maintain its blockade.
“Israel’s policy remains clear: no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza, and impeding this aid is a key leverage point to prevent Hamas from exploiting it as a tool within the population,” he stated.
The Israeli government maintains that there is no aid shortage in Gaza, citing the entry of 25,000 lorry loads of supplies during a past ceasefire. However, UN agencies strongly contest this assertion, suggesting the blockade may violate international humanitarian law.
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated in a recent report that “intensive military actions, displacement orders, the blockade on the entry of all aid and commercial supplies, and shrinking humanitarian space are contributing to what is likely the most severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.”
Dire Humanitarian Situation
The aid organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has cautioned that Gaza has been “transformed into a mass grave for Palestinians and those attempting to assist them.”
“We are currently witnessing the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population in Gaza,” asserted Amande Bazerolle, the charity’s emergency co-ordinator in Gaza.
“With no safe havens for Palestinians or aid workers, the humanitarian response is severely strained by insecurity and critical supply shortages, leaving individuals with limited, if any, options for accessing care.”
MSF reported that two of its staff members have been killed in the past two weeks and described the killing of 15 emergency workers by Israeli forces last month as “another instance of the complete disregard shown by Israeli forces for the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel.”
The organization also highlighted shortages in medications for pain relief and chronic conditions, antibiotics, and essential surgical equipment.
An estimated 500,000 Palestinians have been displaced again since Israel resumed its offensive last month [AFP]
Background to the Conflict
The Israeli military campaign was initiated to dismantle Hamas following an unprecedented cross-border assault on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities in Israel and the abduction of 251 individuals as hostages.
Tragically, at least 51,025 people have been killed in Gaza since that date, according to the territory’s health ministry.
A significant portion of the 1.9 million displaced individuals had returned to their residences during a recent ceasefire that commenced on January 19th.
During that ceasefire, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages – of whom eight were deceased – in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The agreement also included a surge in humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas.
Ceasefire Negotiations Stalled
Israel halted all humanitarian aid deliveries and essential supplies to Gaza on March 2nd and resumed its military offensive two weeks later. This resumption was attributed to Hamas’s refusal to accept a proposal for extending the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement and releasing more of the 59 hostages still in captivity, with up to 24 believed to be alive.
Hamas has accused Israel of breaching the original agreement, which purportedly included a second phase involving the handover of all remaining living hostages and a permanent resolution to the conflict.
A senior Palestinian official informed the BBC on Tuesday that Hamas had rejected a new Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of half of the living Israeli hostages and the disarmament of the armed group.
On Wednesday, sources close to the Israeli prime minister’s office indicated to Haaretz newspaper that Israel had not yet received a formal response from Hamas.
Hostage Situation Update
The allied armed group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, recently released a video featuring Israeli-German hostage Rom Braslavski. In the video, seemingly speaking under coercion, the 21-year-old appealed to the US and Israeli governments to secure his freedom.
Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, expressed his distress at seeing Braslavski being “cruelly paraded in a video.”
“The terrorists must release him and all hostages immediately. And to everyone involved in negotiations: no duty is more urgent than their return,” he added.