Israeli army ‘vastly expanded’ military corridor bisecting Gaza: Report
The Times of Israel is reporting that the Israeli military has “vastly expanded” a military corridor cutting Gaza in half, which it refers to as the Be’eri Corridor, suggesting it intends to occupy the area indefinitely.
The Israeli daily newspaper was given rare access by the military to visit the sealed-off zone in the central Gaza Strip. The report noted that while the military says the corridor is a temporary linchpin for its attacks on Hamas, “the reality on the ground… indicates that the [Israeli army] will remain here for the foreseeable future.”
The corridor initially took up just a few dozen meters on each side of the main road. It then expanded to reach the outskirts of Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood to the north, and the Wadi Gaza stream to the south.
Overall, it encompasses about 47 square kilometres (18 square miles), roughly 13 percent of the area of the Strip, and has more than a dozen military outposts, the report said.
The military bases “featured everything one would expect at a well-entrenched position for troops to remain indefinitely, except that nothing seemed to be permanently attached to the ground,” it added.
Saar says Israel will keep military presence in Gaza
When asked by The Jerusalem Post if there will be a continued Israeli military presence in Gaza, the foreign minister said: “My working assumption is that in the foreseeable future, only we can ensure our security.”
According to the newspaper, he also clarified that this does not mean the country will reestablish Jewish settlements in Gaza.
“Although I opposed the disengagement [from Gush Katif, the illegal Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip in 2005], the goals set by the cabinet do not include such plans,” he was quoted as saying.
The newspaper added that Saar expressed scepticism on the existence of an external force capable of effectively guaranteeing security in Gaza.
