The Israeli military is reinforcing its blockade of the Gaza Strip with a wide trench and earthen embankment, while continuing targeted strikes against Hamas militants, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
Israeli forces are finalizing an anti‑vehicle barrier comprising the trench and embankment, and are drilling the ground at regular intervals, the daily reported.
The measures are intended to ensure that no tunnel crossing into Israel has been overlooked.
The barrier is being constructed on the eastern side of the so‑called yellow line, which separates the Gaza Strip into an area under Israeli army control and another where Palestinians enjoy freedom of movement.
In addition to maintaining territorial control, the paper says, operational activities focus on the ongoing targeted killing of Hamas members.
The actions come two and a half years after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel was “one step away from victory.”
Despite Israel’s extensive military presence in Gaza, the newspaper notes, “the basic reality remains unchanged: Hamas still governs the territory.”
Israeli forces now control roughly 64 % of the Gaza Strip, with two divisions deployed across about 30 military positions, the report says.
On Sunday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that six Palestinians were killed and three others died from wounds caused by Israeli fire over the previous 24 hours.
According to the ministry, the Israeli army has killed at least 1,454 people and injured nearly 5,100 others, despite a ceasefire that took effect on 10 October 2025.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has resulted in more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths and over 175,000 injuries, according to Palestinian figures, and has devastated roughly 90 % of the enclave’s infrastructure.
