Israel Expands Military Presence in Gaza: Yellow Line Shift Observed

Fri Jan 16 2026 13:38:28 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Recent satellite imagery reveals that Israel has moved its designated Yellow Line further into Gaza, raising concerns and confusion among local populations about territorial boundaries and ongoing operations.

Israel has reportedly repositioned military blocks marking its Yellow Line deeper into Gaza, according to satellite analysis from BBC Verify. This move comes in the wake of a ceasefire agreement, leading to growing anxiety among residents who face uncertainty about their rights to movement and safety. Multiple incidents have occurred since the line's adjustment, resulting in fatalities and raising questions about the effective enforcement of the ceasefire terms.

Israel has moved the blocks which are supposed to mark its post-ceasefire line of control deeper into Gaza in several places, sowing confusion among Palestinians.

Satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify show that in at least three areas Israel placed blocks, before returning later and moving the positions further into the Strip.

Under the terms of the US-brokered deal with Hamas, Israel agreed to withdraw troops beyond a line marked in yellow on Israeli military maps, which it has illustrated on the ground with concrete yellow blocks.

Defence Minister Israel Katz warned in October that anyone crossing the Yellow Line would be met with fire.

Since these comments were made, there have been a series of deadly incidents around the line.

In Beit Lahia, Jabalia and al-Tuffah, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) placed blocks and later returned to move them deeper inside Gaza. In total, 16 positions were moved.

In the al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, satellite images show that IDF troops moved at least seven already placed blocks between 27 November and 25 December.

The position of the markers were moved on average 295m (968ft) deeper inside the Strip.

As well as the blocks that have been moved, BBC Verify mapped 205 other markers. More than half of those have been placed significantly deeper inside the Strip than the line marked on maps.

An IDF spokesperson said it rejected all claims that the Yellow Line has been moved or its crossing by IDF troops.

Last month, a 23-year-old man near Khan Younis said that Israeli troops suddenly moved blocks near him beyond the mapped line, leaving him trapped. We are now living inside the Yellow Line, [but] behind the yellow blocks, with no idea what our fate will be, he said.

Prof Andreas Krieg from King's College London called the movement of the blocks a tool for territorial engineering that allows Israel to manage Gazan land without officially changing the border.

Since Katz's warning in October, troops have shot at people crossing the Yellow Line on at least 69 occasions, including incidents that resulted in civilian casualties like the strike on a school that killed five people.

While Israel agreed to withdraw its forces behind the Yellow Line, verified videos and satellite images show IDF vehicles operating beyond this boundary at various times, raising questions about compliance with ceasefire terms.