- Israeli troops detained several settlers after they crossed a security barrier close to the Gaza Strip and entered a restricted buffer zone.
- The settlers remained outside Gaza, moving instead into the zone between Israel’s border fence and the Gaza boundary, Israeli media reported.
Updated 8 minutes 48 seconds ago
September 24, 2026 23:47
LONDON — Israeli troops detained several settlers on Thursday after they breached a security barrier near the Gaza Strip and entered a restricted buffer zone, the military announced.
According to the Israeli military, the group crossed the barrier and moved into the area between the border fence and the embattled Palestinian enclave, Israeli media reported. Troops apprehended the settlers and escorted them back through the fence. Their motives remain unclear.
The military emphasized that the settlers did not enter Gaza itself. Israel’s border fence lies several dozen meters inside Israeli territory, leaving a restricted strip between the fence and Gaza’s boundary.
This area is distinct from the so‑called Yellow Line, a ceasefire‑era military demarcation inside Gaza.
Established after the October 2025 Israel‑Hamas ceasefire agreement, the Yellow Line splits the territory into western and eastern sections. Most of Gaza’s Palestinian population resides in the western part, while Israeli forces control the eastern section.
Initially, the line left about 47 percent of Gaza’s land available to Palestinians, but Israeli forces have gradually shifted it westward, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
As of September 12, Palestinians were living on less than 40 percent of Gaza’s territory, the UN reported. The shifting boundaries have displaced families living near the line and heightened anxiety among those who remain.
Approximately 2.1 million people — nearly Gaza’s entire population — are displaced and residing west of the Yellow Line. Many families remain on alert, fearing they could be forced to flee again if the security situation deteriorates, the UN added.
The UN also noted that locating safe sites for displaced persons has become increasingly difficult, as much of the land suitable for camps falls within prohibited or restricted zones to the east, south and north of the Yellow Line.
