Addressing troops stationed inside Gaza, Zamir said Israeli forces would continue to hold positions east of the Yellow Line, describing it as a “security boundary” Israel has no intention of surrendering. Military officials say Israel currently controls more than 50% of Gaza’s territory, including farmlands and the strategic Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border.
Months of bombardment and ground operations have pushed nearly 2 million Palestinians into a narrow western strip of Gaza, with the vast eastern zone largely emptied of residents.
Trump’s ceasefire framework seeks to divide Gaza into two zones: a Green Zone in the east, supervised by Israeli troops and an International Security Force (ISF), and a Red Zone in the west, where displaced Palestinians are currently sheltering. The Yellow Line is intended to function as a temporary demarcation between the two areas.
However, Israel’s interpretation of the line as a permanent frontier directly contradicts the agreement’s central provision—namely, that Israel will not occupy Gaza or expand its borders. Under the plan, Israeli forces were expected to gradually hand over control to foreign troops before fully withdrawing.
The US is seeking UN Security Council backing for the international mission, envisioned to begin with a few hundred personnel and potentially expand to 20,000. No country has yet committed troops, raising doubts about the plan’s viability.
Meanwhile, Israel has erected new military posts near the Yellow Line, declared it a high-risk border zone, and authorised soldiers to open fire at crossings. Local reports say several civilians, including children, have been killed near the demarcation.
Trump signed the ceasefire document in Egypt on October 13 in the presence of leaders from more than 20 nations, despite neither Israel nor Hamas being invited. The 20-point plan calls for an end to the war, the release of hostages and the creation of a temporary administrative board chaired by Trump, with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as a member.
With Israel now entrenching itself east of the Yellow Line, the fate of Trump’s proposal appears increasingly uncertain.
