Since the illusory ceasefire took hold in Gaza, the lives of Palestinians in the Strip have been dictated by an imaginary line drawn up by the Israeli army. Crossing this “Yellow Line,” which indicates the boundary of Israel’s occupation of ethnically cleansed areas spanning more than half of Gaza, constitutes a death sentence — even for children collecting firewood for their wheelchair-bound father. Yet not only is it poorly demarcated; it is also continuously expanding.
Residents describe a reality in which supposedly safe neighborhoods are transformed overnight into active frontlines, with no warning. On Nov. 20, Israeli forces advanced a further 300 meters into the neighborhood of Al-Tuffah in northeastern Gaza City, forcing residents to flee for their lives despite the ceasefire that was supposed to guarantee their safety. Now, there are growing fears among residents further west, in areas considered outside the immediate zone of danger, that they, too, may soon be forced out……more
