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New findings suggest that Israel's military troops are maintaining authority over more area within Gaza than initially anticipated under the truce agreement.

This Ceasefire Agreement and the Demarcation Boundary

According to the initial phase of the agreement, Israeli authorities agreed to retreat to a boundary border running along the northern, southern, and east sides of Gaza. This divide was designated by a yellow line on official charts published by the defense forces and has become known as the "Demarcation Line."

However, new videos and satellite photographs reveal that markers placed by Israeli soldiers in two locations to mark the boundary have been set several hundreds of meters further within the territory than the expected pullback line.

Official Comments and Warnings

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz—which ordered soldiers to position the yellow markers—stated that anyone crossing the line "would be met with gunfire." There have already occurred at minimum two deadly events close to the boundary zone.

When approached, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) failed to address the allegations, saying simply that: "Israeli troops under the Southern Command have begun designating the demarcation in the Gaza to establish tactical clarity on the terrain."

Absence of Clarity and Confusion

There's been a consistent absence of precision about where precisely the boundary would be established, with multiple different maps published by the White House, former U.S. President, and the Israel's defense forces in the lead-up to the ceasefire agreement that took effect on 10 October.

As of October 14, the Israeli military issued the latest version marking the demarcation on their online map, which is employed to convey its stance to residents in the Gaza Strip.

Northern and South Gaza

In the north, adjacent to the al-Atatra area, aerial footage from the Israeli military revealed that a row of several yellow blocks were up to over 500 meters further within the territory than was expected from the official maps.

Footage geolocated showed personnel using bulldozers and excavators to move the large yellow markers and place them along the seaside al-Rashid road.

A similar scenario was visible in southern the Gaza Strip, where a satellite image taken on 19 October showed ten markers erected close to the urban area of Khan Younis. The line of blocks ranges between 180 meters-290m within the Yellow Line established by the Israeli military.

Experts Interpretation

Multiple experts suggested that the markers were intended to establish a "buffer zone" between local residents and IDF forces. An analyst stated the move would be in line with a ongoing "policy approach" that aims to protect the state from adjacent territories it doesn't completely administer.

"This provides the IDF room to operate and establish a 'kill zone' targeting possible threats," Dr Andreas Krieg said. "Potential threats can be targeted prior to they reach the military perimeter. It is a somewhat like no man's land that does not belong to anyone—and Israel often to acquire that territory from the opponent's portion rather than its own."

Several analysts proposed that the disparity separating the indicators and the IDF chart was an deliberate design to warn residents they are "entering an area of elevated risk."

Noam Ostfeld said that some markers "seem to be positioned close to pathways or barriers, making them easier to identify."

Civilian Confusion and Incidents

There is already confusion among residents over locations where it is secure to go.

A resident living lives close to the interim boundary in the eastern section of Gaza City Shejaiya neighbourhood said that, notwithstanding promises from Israeli authorities of visible markings, he had seen none installed.

"Each day, we can see Israeli military vehicles and personnel at a fairly close range, but we have no way of knowing whether we are in what is deemed a 'safe zone' or 'an active danger zone'," he said. "We're constantly exposed to danger, particularly as we are compelled to remain in this location because this is where our home previously existed."

Since the ceasefire was implemented, the Israeli military has documented a number of cases of people approaching the Yellow Line. On all instances the military stated it engaged those involved.

Video acquired and verified depicted the consequences of one incident on 17 October, which the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency claimed killed 11 civilians—including women and children reportedly reportedly from the same family. The authority stated the Palestinians' vehicle was targeted by Israeli forces following approaching the Yellow Line to the east of the city in the Zeitoun neighbourhood.

The video displayed rescue workers examining the burnt out remnants of a vehicle and shrouding a nearby badly-mangled body of a child with a white cloth. Verification located the footage to a spot approximately 125m over the Yellow Line indicated on charts by the Israeli military.

The Israeli military stated alert shots were fired towards a "suspicious vehicle" that had breached the line. The announcement noted after the car did not to stop, soldiers opened fire "to remove the danger."

Juridical Status and Responsibilities

Meanwhile, the legal standing of the demarcation has also been questioned.

"The state's responsibilities under the regulations of hostilities cannot end even for those violating the demarcation," commented Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne. "The military can solely engage enemy fighters or those directly participating in hostilities, and in such actions it has to not inflict disproportionate non-combatant casualties."

In a statement, an Israeli military representative said: "IDF troops under the Southern Command persist to operate to remove any danger to the troops and to defend the civilians of the State of Israel."

The spokesperson further that the concrete blocks are "being placed every 200 metres."

Context and Fatalities

Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza