Under Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza, the yellow line — which Israel withdrew to earlier this month — is the first of three stages of Israeli military withdrawal. It leaves Israel in control of about 53% of the Gaza Strip.
One Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, referred to it as effectively the new border in Gaza.
It's a remark that will please the far-right coalition partners of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The fortifications and demarcations Israel is now building along this boundary are meant to clearly divide the territory, but may also help to blur the differing hopes and expectations of Mr. Netanyahu's allies in Washington and at home.
How long he can keep both sets of expectations in play depends largely on this next stage of negotiations. The boundary marked by the yellow line is temporary, but further withdrawal of Israeli forces rests on resolving the difficult issues pinned to the second stage of Donald Trump's deal – including the transfer of power in Gaza and the process for disarming Hamas.
Washington is keen to ensure that nothing upsets this next delicate stage of negotiations. US Vice-President JD Vance flew in on Tuesday to encourage Netanyahu to advance peace talks. Trump's negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with the Israeli PM on Monday.
Israeli newspapers have reported that Netanyahu is receiving a stern message from his American allies to show restraint and not to endanger the ceasefire. When Israel complained that Hamas had violated the terms of the ceasefire on Sunday, leading to the death of two soldiers, a one-word demand from Netanyahu's far-right National Security Minister was clear: War.
Instead, Israel executed a brief wave of air strikes before reinstating the truce, carefully emphasizing that its troops had been attacked inside the yellow line – eager to show Washington that Israel was not breaching the truce.
Netanyahu insists that the war will not conclude until Hamas is fully dismantled. Yet, many commentators believe that key military decisions in Gaza are increasingly being made in Washington.
The yellow line – along with the daunting tasks of the second stage of the deal – offers insights into why Netanyahu's coalition partners have chosen to wait rather than act on threats to destabilize his government.
For many extreme settlers and ministers, the hope is that the subsequent stage will become untenable, making the yellow line the de facto border and paving the way for new settlements in Gaza.
The majority of Israelis, however, are eager for an end to the conflict and the return of hostages and soldiers. Benjamin Netanyahu, described as a politician who values flexibility, opts for prolonged negotiations, resulting in control over more than half of Gaza while accepting a ceasefire in exchange for returning hostages.
However, as the negotiation process evolves, aligning the goals of US and domestic allies will become increasingly complex.
Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that failure by Hamas to adhere to the agreement, particularly in disarmament, would justify a return to military action. He has emphasized that he prefers achieving results through diplomacy, but is prepared for a more aggressive approach if necessary.
Despite varying perspectives, it appears that the balance of power in these negotiations leans towards Washington, leaving Netanyahu with less political flexibility than he might prefer.
