Israel to create Gaza buffer zone by 'destroying enclave'

Israel plans to extend the buffer zone within the Gaza Strip to nearly double what it was before October 7 through the systematic destruction of the territory, according to reports.

On Tuesday, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said his forces were removing what he called "terrorist structures and infrastructure" about 650 yards from the Gaza border fence.

The Washington Post said that although officials had repeatedly suggested extending the so-called buffer zone, Tuesday’s comments by the Israel army "were the first public confirmation that the strategy was in motion".

He says this is to create the necessary security conditions that will allow the residents of southern Israel that were evacuated following the 7 October attacks by Hamas to return to their homes.

Hagari revealed that the 21 soldiers who died on Monday in the southern Gaza Strip were part of a demolition crew that rigged two buildings with explosives when they were hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Commenting on the planned buffer zone, former Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told The Washington Post: "It’s one of the additional efforts or layers of security that are being implemented after October 7."

Before that date, the buffer zone in the Palestinian enclave extended over an area of 330 yards along the 36-mile separation fence.

A total of 2,850 buildings are located within the planned buffer zone, and the army had already destroyed around 1,100 of them, according to Israeli Channel 12. The rubble of these buildings is visible from Israel.

There have been numerous videos showing Israeli forces blowing up entire neighbourhoods in Gaza, flattening residential homes, schools, places of worship and more.

Israel's biggest ally, the US, has previously said it would object to any proposed buffer zone inside the Gaza Strip and that it opposed any plans to change the size of Gaza after the war.

If Israel's military moves into the Philadelphi Corridor it would violate the Camp David Accords.

How Gaza's border could be a tipping point in Egypt-Israel ties ⬇️https://t.co/yUC4RkwTh0

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) January 22, 2024

Egypt has also rejected a proposal by Israel for greater Israeli oversight over the buffer zone on the Egypt-Gaza border, known as the Philadelphi Corridor.

Ties between Egypt and Israel have dramatically deteriorated since 7 October.

Hamas's 7 October attacks resulted in about 1,200 people killed and some 250 Israelis and foreigners taken hostage, Tel Aviv has said, some of whom have been released as part of a prisoner swap deal with Israel.

Hamas says it conducted the attack in response to Israel’s 16-year blockade of Gaza and decades of aggression against the Palestinian people.

Since then, Israel has killed over 25,700 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. Israel claims that it wants to dismantle Hamas, but the colossal civilian toll has alarmed global leaders, including Tel Aviv's allies.

Many nations believe Israel’s actions during the air and ground offensive amount to genocide.

A court ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on a genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel will be issued on Friday.