Massive Expansion of “Netzarim” Axis: Settlement Resurgence in Gaza on the Horizon

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has reported that the Israeli military is working toward making significant, strategic changes in Gaza by establishing three main axes that effectively divide the territory, raising speculations about potential plans to revive settlement activities in certain areas.

According to military correspondent Yoav Zitun, the Israeli army has greatly expanded the Netzarim Axis, which separates the northern Gaza Strip from the south. This expansion includes the construction of permanent military installations, signaling the intention of maintaining a lasting military presence in the area.

Zitun pointed out that the army’s behavior and expansionist policies — aimed at increasing their territorial footprint and creating additional points of division across Gaza — could serve as a foundation for reestablishing Jewish settlements within Gaza.

The newspaper highlighted that the Netzarim Axis has become an extensive Israeli military hub, containing detention centers and command facilities. The army is also working on new routes, and a completed corridor now divides northern Gaza from the rest of the region.

What was once a narrow strip demarcating Gaza’s north from its south a year ago has now transformed into a broad corridor that effectively partitions the territory into three distinct sections: north Gaza, south Gaza, and the central Gaza area, marked by the Netzarim Axis itself. The current area of this corridor reportedly spans no less than seven kilometers from north to south.

This expansion has encroached on territories south of Gaza City, including neighborhoods such as Tel al-Hawa, al-Zeitoun, al-Sabra, and Sheikh Ajleen. The expansion also extends across large swaths of northern central Gaza, particularly near al-Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Zahraa, and Maghazi, with areas like Juhor al-Dik being completely cleared.

The Netzarim Axis has become a major point of contention in stalled ceasefire negotiations over Gaza, with Hamas demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on a mechanism to prevent the movement of fighters from southern Gaza to the north.

The Washington Post recently published insights from military analysts along with satellite images showing that the Israeli army’s activities in the Netzarim corridor are part of a large-scale project aimed at reconfiguring Gaza and cementing a prolonged Israeli presence.

The report also notes that a considerable number of civilian infrastructures — including schools, hospitals, and homes — have been destroyed within this corridor, with some transformed into military sites.

Satellite imagery and other visual evidence, translated from Arabi21, reveal that Israeli forces are constructing fortifications within a strategic corridor that bisects the Gaza Strip, including the establishment of military bases and the takeover of civilian infrastructure through widespread demolitions. Military analysts and Israeli experts argue that these developments are part of a comprehensive plan to reshape Gaza and secure a lasting occupation presence within the territory.