A comprehensive investigation by London-based research agency Forensic Architecture has revealed Israel’s systematic military expansion within the Gaza Strip, suggesting preparations for a permanent territorial division. The research, documented by Drop Site News, indicates Israel has established at least 13 new military outposts while consolidating existing infrastructure and constructing extensive road networks throughout the enclave.
The findings detail how Gaza has been effectively partitioned by a ‘yellow line’ since the October ceasefire took effect. Eastern areas beyond this demarcation have been designated as ‘combat zones’ under Israeli military control, where forces reportedly shoot anyone approaching. Western regions remain under Hamas’s de facto governance, creating a stark territorial division.
Forensic Architecture’s analysis identified significant discrepancies between officially mapped boundaries and physical military placements. Researchers documented 27 yellow block markers positioned up to 940 meters beyond the officially indicated line, demonstrating gradual encroachment into Gazan territory. The report concludes this infrastructure expansion effectively institutionalizes ethnic cleansing across 53% of Gaza.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, the research indicates continued targeting of civilian structures and homes. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported renewed aerial bombardments across Gaza this week, with attacks targeting eastern Gaza City and the Tuffah neighborhood. These developments align with B’Tselem’s recent report on forced displacement, which found no meaningful change in Israel’s conduct post-ceasefire.
The military campaign has produced devastating infrastructure damage, with over 90% of homes destroyed, 70% of all structures compromised, and 81% of road networks rendered unusable. University of Malaya research fellow Belal Alakhras characterized Israel’s strategy as ‘calculated dominance masquerading as security,’ noting that military supremacy is being leveraged to entrench control rather than pursue genuine stability.
Alakhras further argued that this approach exposes fundamental contradictions in the occupation while deepening international complicity. ‘What Israel is engineering is not stability, but institutionalized fragility that further undermines its own regional standing,’ he stated, describing the situation as ‘colonial logic’ that manages subjugation rather than pursuing safety.