Israel declares Yellow Line a permanent border as ceasefire enters critical phase

During a visit to the Gaza Strip yesterday, Israel Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir announced that the “Yellow Line,” which marks the withdrawal point of Israeli forces under the ceasefire, now constitutes a “new border line.”

Zamir conducted inspections in the occupied Beit Hanoun and Jabalia regions. According to a statement from the army, Zamir declared, “We will not allow Hamas to regroup.”

The General emphasized that they control a large portion of the Gaza Strip and are deployed at strategic points. Zamir stated, “The Yellow Line is a forward defense line for the regions and, at the same time, an attack line.”

Tension on the ground persisted simultaneously with Zamir’s statements. The Israeli army announced that an armed Palestinian who crossed the ceasefire line in southern Gaza on Sunday afternoon was killed on the grounds that he posed an “immediate threat” to soldiers.

In the north, three Palestinians who crossed the Yellow Line the previous day were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers.

Zamir’s specific preference for the term “border” has the potential to create discomfort among segments supporting the Trump plan. This is because the plan in question envisions this line as temporary, with Israeli forces withdrawing completely from the region in the second phase.

Diplomatic traffic for the second phase

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the progression of the process during a press conference held with the German Chancellor. Netanyahu stated that the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza is “almost complete.”

The transition to the second phase awaits the return of the body of Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in Gaza, to Israel. This new phase involves the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from current lines, the disarmament process of Hamas, and the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF).

Doubts regarding the international force’s mission

In a speech addressed to ambassadors in the evening, Netanyahu discussed the issue of disarmament. The Prime Minister stated, “We are moving to disarmament in the second phase. The US wants to create an international force to fulfill this duty, and I said, ‘go ahead.'”

However, Netanyahu expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of this force. The Prime Minister noted, “There are some tasks this force can do. But there are things it cannot do; perhaps it will be unable to perform the most important task. We will see.”

Asserting that disarmament will occur under any circumstances, Netanyahu repeated a phrase he frequently uses: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. But in the end, it will be done.”

Signal from Hamas to freeze weapons

A new statement regarding the status of weapons has emerged from the Hamas wing. The organization had previously announced it would not lay down arms. However, senior Hamas official Basem Naim signaled a different tone in a statement made to the Associated Press (AP).

Naim stated that the organization could discuss “freezing or storing its weapons for a certain period in the process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Speaking to the Associated Press, Naim rejected the idea of a multinational force disarming Hamas. Naim stated, “We welcome UN forces deploying to borders, monitoring the ceasefire, and reporting violations. However, we do not accept these forces exercising authority on Palestinian lands.”

Israel veto on Ankara’s request

In November, the UN Security Council gave the green light for the establishment of the ISF by approving Trump’s 20-point peace plan. However, the force in question has not yet deployed to the field.

The reasons for the delay include not only the fact that one hostage remains in Gaza but also the security concerns of countries considering a contribution.

Countries are concerned about the risk of conflict with Hamas and the possibility of being caught between Palestinian organizations and Israeli forces.

Indonesia and Azerbaijan have agreed to send forces. Turkey announced its desire to join the force. However, the Israeli administration opposes Ankara taking an active role in Gaza.

The details of the process are expected to be discussed during the meeting Netanyahu will hold with US President Trump in Washington at the end of the month.