Rafeef Asleem

Gaza — In recent weeks, the Gaza Strip has seen a number of violations committed by Israeli forces during the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, which was signed last October.

By committing these violations, Israeli forces are disregarding all international calls to halt hostilities and pave the way for the launch of the second phase, amid fears about the impact of these actions on the course of the agreement and on civilians in the besieged city.

Political affairs researcher in Gaza City, Dana Haboub, comments on the violations, saying they are not “technical,” nor isolated incidents, but rather a clear behavioral pattern through which Israel is managing the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip—“emptying the truce of its substance while maintaining it in form before the international community.”

She explains that since the announcement of the ceasefire, a field framework was set for its implementation, most notably what became known as the “yellow line.” According to both declared and undeclared agreements, this line was supposed to serve as a point of deployment and later withdrawal for Israeli forces at the start of the second phase of the agreement. Its primary purpose was to allow a partial return of civilians, reduce military friction with them, and open the way for implementing the humanitarian component of the agreement.

Ongoing Violations

Haboub confirms that the yellow line is not merely a media term, but “a fundamental pillar in the implementation of the agreement’s phases.” However, the problem lies in Israel’s failure to adhere to this line according to the understandings. She notes that reliable field reports indicate Israeli forces have crossed the yellow line and redrawn it on the ground by expanding it and treating it as a closed military zone, preventing civilians from approaching it through the deployment of military vehicles and barring residents from access.

According to Haboub, the yellow line is not the only violation of the agreement. There are ongoing airstrikes under the pretext of security considerations, in addition to the intensive round-the-clock surveillance drone flights over the Strip, strict restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid—especially fuel and relief materials—and obstruction of displaced people’s return to their original residential areas. This, she says, means Israeli forces are treating the agreement as a tactical maneuver: maintaining the truce when it serves their objectives and violating it when they deem the international cost to be limited.

She believes the impact of these violations on the agreement is dangerous. “Any agreement is not based solely on what is written, but on good faith and implementation mechanisms. When the yellow line is violated and attacks are carried out, the agreement turns into a fragile framework that cannot be politically built upon—meaning a transition from de-escalation to a permanent ceasefire becomes impossible.” This places mediators, especially Egypt and Qatar, in an extremely difficult position: they possess negotiation skills but lack enforcement tools.

She stresses that the international stance cannot be described as absent, but it is ineffective at the required level. “There are condemnation statements, calls to respect international humanitarian law, and expressions of concern from the United Nations and the European Union, but what is missing so far is an effective monitoring mechanism on the ground and a clear linkage between political and military support and respect for the terms of the truce.” She adds that punitive measures must be introduced in response to violations in order to compel Israel to implement what it has signed.

Civilians Pay the Price

Regarding civilians in Gaza, Haboub explains that they are paying the highest price. “Violations mean the continuation of fear and insecurity, difficulty in obtaining food and medicine, delays in the return of the displaced, and ongoing psychological pressure—especially on children and women. They are trapped between war and peace at the same time, unable to determine their future in the coming days, watching anxiously for the moment when the second phase begins.”

She notes that reconstruction begins with political and security guarantees, not merely with the entry of raw materials. “As long as the yellow line is not respected and the security situation remains unstable, donors hesitate, major projects will not be implemented, and what is being carried out in Gaza does not amount to real reconstruction.”

The political researcher in Gaza City, Dana Haboub, concludes by saying that what is currently being experienced is a temporary management of civilian life in the Gaza Strip, not a genuine ceasefire agreement as portrayed in the media. Meanwhile, the second phase—considered an opportunity to restore a relative balance and ensure a more stable civilian life—remains fraught with risks and contingent on the existing reality