Gaza’s ‘orange line’: Israel expands control beyond ceasefire limits

A newly emerging "orange line" inside the Gaza Strip is reshaping realities on the ground, as Israeli forces expand control beyond the limits set by a ceasefire that took effect in October 2025.

The shift comes as Israel moves beyond the so-called Yellow Line, which had defined the extent of its deployment under the first phase of the truce, instead of carrying out additional withdrawals as envisioned in the agreement.

Under the ceasefire terms, the Yellow Line separated areas of Israeli military presence in the east from zones where Palestinians could remain in the west, covering about 53% of the enclave.

But Palestinian sources say that the boundary has been steadily pushed westward in recent months.

Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told Anadolu that Israel has shifted the line by an additional 8% to 9% into Gaza's territory, raising the area under Israeli control to more than 60%.

The change has reduced the space available to Palestinians to roughly 38% of the enclave, intensifying an already severe humanitarian crisis.

- GRADUAL SHIFT ON GROUND

The so-called "orange line" is the result of months of Israeli military activity, including excavation, land leveling and the relocation of concrete markers that once defined the Yellow Line.

Local sources said the markers have been gradually moved deeper into Gaza, effectively altering the boundary on the ground.

The advance has forced new waves of displacement, particularly in Khan Younis, eastern Gaza City and parts of northern Gaza, as families move further west to avoid fire.

It has also been accompanied by airstrikes, artillery shelling and live fire that have killed and injured Palestinians, often under claims of approaching or crossing the original line.

- UN CONCERN

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Israeli authorities have introduced a new boundary beyond the Yellow Line, referred to by humanitarian teams as the "orange line."

"Now there's another color line. A so-called orange line has been presented to our humanitarian colleagues," Dujarric told Anadolu.

He said UN teams were informed that any movement beyond that line must be coordinated in advance with Israeli authorities.

"We've been told that beyond that line, humanitarian teams are expected to coordinate their movements in advance. This corresponds to areas with increased risks of fighting and a higher probability of encountering Israeli forces," he added.

-REDRAWING LIFE IN GAZA

For Palestinians, the emergence of layered "lines" is shrinking living space and reshaping life across the enclave.

More than 2 million people are now confined to increasingly narrow areas, amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions and continued restrictions.

Officials and analysts warn that the evolving boundaries risk becoming a de facto reality on the ground.

Israeli officials have hinted at the possibility.

Earlier this year, chief of staff Eyal Zamir described the Yellow Line as a "new border line" and a forward defense line, while Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in those areas until Hamas is disarmed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said in March that more than half of Gaza is under Israeli control.

- STALLED DIPLOMACY, SHIFTING REALITIES

While Israel continues to shape facts on the ground, political efforts to advance the next phase of the ceasefire have stalled.

Talks in Cairo in recent weeks under US mediation have made little progress, with Israel insisting on the disarmament of Hamas before moving forward, while the Palestinian resistance group said previously agreed terms must first be implemented.

Israel has continued to commit daily violations of the ceasefire, killing 828 Palestinians and injuring 2,342, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

The ceasefire was meant to end a two-year Israeli offensive on Gaza, which left more than 72,000 dead and 172,000 wounded, and destroyed 90% of civilian infrastructure. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at around $70 billion.