Israeli forces have shifted the 'yellow line' marking out their occupied territory in Gaza, encroaching on a road often used by Palestinians.
The Israeli military withdrew troops to the line under last October's ceasefire, but Palestinians say it has crept forward since then.
In recent days, Israeli troops have moved it westward again by placing yellow blocks along Salah Al Din Road – the main route connecting the north and south of the Gaza Strip. For thousands of Palestinians, the change has transformed a vital route into a dangerous boundary.
Ramez Ishtaywi, a 49-year-old former construction worker, said there was “heavy and random gunfire at anyone who tries to approach”. The new line has destroyed the livelihood he had recently established with his sons, collecting firewood east of Gaza city.
“We were managing,” he told The National. “Even though there was occasional gunfire, we stayed about 700 metres away from the line.”
That changed overnight. When he arrived at work two days ago, he found tanks and military vehicles advancing, placing the concrete yellow blocks directly along Salah Al Din Road. The area where he worked was suddenly cut off.
Tools he left behind are now unreachable. “Our work has completely stopped,” he said. “Crossing that line now would be like suicide.”
Drivers blocked
For Mr Ishtaywi, the loss is immediate: no work, no income, no alternative. But the consequences stretch far beyond a single livelihood.
Salah Al Din Road has long been Gaza’s central corridor, a route that allowed civilians to travel between the north and south more easily than the damaged and narrow coastal road. For drivers, it was a rare piece of functioning infrastructure in a largely shattered landscape.
Muneeb Abu Daher, a 32-year-old taxi driver, began using the road shortly after the October ceasefire. At first, it felt like a breakthrough.
“It was faster and smoother,” he told The National. “Better than the coastal road.”
Soon, many drivers followed. The road became a lifeline for transporting passengers across the strip. Even occasional gunfire did not stop them; the risks were considered manageable compared to the alternatives.
But the recent shift of the yellow line has effectively shut that corridor down.
“It created confusion and made everything more complicated,” Mr Abu Daher said. Drivers have been forced back on to the coastal road, damaged, narrow, and now heavily congested. “The pressure on that road is huge,” he said, noting the added strain of harsh coastal weather and worsening conditions.
For Gaza’s already struggling transport sector, the change is another blow. Drivers are already dealing with soaring fuel costs, scarce motor oil, and broken roads. Losing Salah Al Din Road removes one of the few remaining advantages.
“Every couple of days, something new happens,” Mr Abu Daher says. “Just when we find a better way, it’s taken away.”
At the political level, the shift is being framed as a breach of agreements meant to stabilise the situation. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the move breaks the ceasefire terms brokered by mediators last October.
“The continuation of these violations exhausts civilians and restricts their lives,” Mr Qassem said, calling on mediators to intervene and ensure compliance.
But on the ground, the impact is less about statements and more about survival.
“We hold the Israeli side and the mediators responsible for the continuation of these violations and the encroachment on the rights of the people of Gaza in various ways,” Mr Qassem said. “As well as the continuation of policies that exhaust civilians, hinder their movement, and restrict their lives.”
