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Israeli troops will not leave the buffer zones they have created in the Gaza Strip – even if a ceasefire is reached. This was stated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
“Unlike in the past, the IDF is not evacuating cleared and seized areas,” Katz said after the meeting with the military command.
“The IDF will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and our communities – as in Lebanon and Syria – under any temporary or permanent conditions in Gaza.”
Buffer zones: control and strategy
Israel began actively advancing deeper into Gaza after the resumption of hostilities in March. Since then, according to the Israeli military, about 30% of the Palestinian enclave has been under the control of the IDF.
In the south, Israel captured the border town of Rafah and advanced into the so-called Morag Corridor, which stretches from the eastern border of the Strip to the Mediterranean coast. It has also expanded its control zone around the Netzarim area in central Gaza, and in the north – in the Shejai area, located east of Gaza City.
Victims and humanitarian disaster
The Israeli army claims to have killed hundreds of Hamas militants since 18 March, including a number of high-ranking commanders. At the same time, the active phase of operations has raised concerns in the UN and Europe.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 400,000 Palestinians have been displaced since the resumption of hostilities, and at least 1,630 people have been killed in air strikes and bombings.
The international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has said that Gaza has “become a mass grave”. Amanda Bazeroll, MSF’s Emergency Operations Coordinator in Gaza, emphasised:
“We are witnessing in real time the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population.”
The blockade of aid continues
Despite international pressure, Israel has maintained restrictions on humanitarian supplies to Gaza, which have been in place since early March. According to Minister Katz, the infrastructure is being built to allow for future distribution of aid through civilian companies, but the current blockade remains in place.
Israel’s policy on buffer zones and control of Gaza demonstrates its intention to maintain a military presence in the region even after a possible ceasefire, which could become a stumbling block for any diplomatic initiatives.
