Israel moves to restrict Hamas in Gaza, blocks major highway
Israeli forces have reportedly blocked Gaza’s Salah ad-Din highway in the Netzarim area south of Gaza City for the first time since the ceasefire began, in what appears to be the army’s first ground operation since the end of the ceasefire.
Israeli soldiers patrol the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza at sunrise. The corridor divides the Strip, preventing terrorists from crossing between Gaza’s northern and southern areas. Photo by TPS-IL
The move would prevent Hamas movements between northern and southern Gaza.
Israel’s withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor was a key Hamas ceasefire demand. The Netzarim corridor is a roughly seven-km-road running from east to west, that bisects the Strip. It crosses from Israel, at a point between Kibbutz Be’eri and Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and stretches to the Mediterranean.
Airstrikes launched by Israel on Tuesday ended a two-month ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group.
Hamas insisted on the original ceasefire terms, which called for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war in exchange for the remaining hostages. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue operations until Hamas is dismantled. Talks over phase two of the agreement, set to begin February 3, never took place.
Despite this, the ceasefire held for weeks as mediators sought new terms. Last week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff proposed extending phase one of the ceasefire in exchange for the release of five hostages. However, Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s response to the proposal as unacceptable, warning of consequences if the group did not reconsider.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
Reporter: Ehud Amiton/TPS-IL
