Israeli Defense Minister outlines permanent security perimeter controlling 30% of Gaza as international concerns mount over humanitarian crisis and annexation claims
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Wednesday that Israeli troops will remain indefinitely in established "security zones" across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, signaling a major shift in the country's long-term military strategy in the region. The announcement comes as Israel continues its renewed offensive in Gaza, where it now controls over half of the territory through a network of strategic corridors and buffer zones.
"Unlike in the past, the IDF is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized," Katz stated in an official declaration. "The military will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and Israeli communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza, as in Lebanon and Syria."
Israel's Expanding Security Strategy
The Israeli military has established what it calls an "operational security perimeter" covering approximately 30% of Gaza. Central to this strategy is the recently opened "Morag Corridor" — named after a former Israeli settlement between Rafah and Khan Younis — which effectively slices across the southern Gaza Strip from the Mediterranean Sea eastward.
This corridor is part of a broader military approach that now gives Israel control over roughly 50% of Gaza through a combination of buffer zones and strategic corridors in both the north and south of the territory BBC News1. The IDF claims these operations have resulted in the elimination of "hundreds of terrorists" as troops advance in multiple areas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has indicated these buffer zones will serve as permanent features, raising concerns about potential annexation. Defense Minister Katz's latest statement reinforces this position, comparing the approach to Israel's ongoing military presence in parts of Lebanon following last year's ceasefire with Hezbollah, and in southern Syria after the fall of Bashar Assad's government in December Politico2.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
As Israel consolidates its territorial control, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate dramatically. The six-week blockade of humanitarian aid, intended to pressure Hamas, has resulted in critical shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies since March 2.
"We are witnessing in real time the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population in Gaza," warned Amande Bazerolle, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) emergency coordinator. MSF has described Gaza as being "turned into a mass grave of Palestinians and those coming to their assistance" BBC News1.
Recent Israeli strikes across Gaza have killed at least 24 Palestinians, including multiple members of the Hassouna family in Gaza City, according to hospital officials. The renewed offensive has displaced an estimated 500,000 Palestinians, many for the second or third time during the conflict.
Impact on Rafah and Gaza Communities
The human cost of Israel's military strategy is particularly evident in Rafah, where residents face the prospect of permanent displacement as their city is transformed into a militarized buffer zone.
"What does it mean to annex Rafah? Does it mean I won't go back to my father's house? That Rafah won't exist?" questioned Salsabeel Jabr Abdullah Awad, a 30-year-old resident who fears her childhood home in Shaboura camp may be lost forever InkStick Media3.
For many Palestinians, Rafah represents not just a geographical location but a repository of personal and collective history, particularly for families who were previously displaced from villages lost in 1948. The creation of the Morag Corridor and establishment of buffer zones threatens to erase this cultural and historical identity.
"The corridor may claim to offer security, but what it erodes — quietly, daily — is dignity. Memory. Belonging," writes Mohammed Ali, a journalist who fled Gaza with his family InkStick Media3.
International Response and Diplomatic Tensions
Israel's expanded military posture has drawn significant international criticism. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed that he was "very concerned" about the situation and the lack of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza, statements that Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon swiftly condemned Fox News4.
UN agencies have rejected Israel's claims that there is no shortage of aid in Gaza and have suggested that the blockade might breach international humanitarian law. Similarly, international leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire as the humanitarian situation worsens.
In Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun has stated that Israel's continued presence in parts of his country hinders the Lebanese army's full deployment as required by the November ceasefire agreement. The UN reports that Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 70 civilians since the ceasefire took effect Politico2.
Stalled Hostage Negotiations
The announcement of indefinite military presence in Gaza complicates ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas. The militant group has insisted it will not release dozens of remaining hostages without a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire.
"They promised that the hostages come first. In practice, Israel is choosing to seize territory before the hostages," said the main organization representing families of the hostages in a statement. "There is one solution that is desirable and feasible, and that is the release of all the hostages at once as part of an agreement, even at the cost of ending the war" Politico2.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group released a video of hostage Rom Braslavski, the first proof of life for him, though recently released hostages had reported seeing him in captivity. In the video, which was filmed under duress, Braslavski describes terrible conditions and pleads with Netanyahu to end the war and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Long-term Regional Implications
Israel's expanding military footprint across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria signals a significant shift in regional dynamics that could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics for years to come. The establishment of permanent buffer zones represents a departure from previous Israeli military doctrine, which typically involved withdrawing from captured territories after operations concluded.
This new approach raises questions about the viability of future peace negotiations and the prospects for Palestinian statehood. With the death toll in Gaza now exceeding 51,000 according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and approximately 90% of the territory's 2 million residents displaced, the humanitarian and political consequences of this strategy will likely reverberate throughout the region for generations.
As buffer zones transform into permanent features of the landscape, both Israelis and Palestinians face an uncertain future marked by continued tension, violence, and human suffering. Will this strategy ultimately provide the security Israel seeks, or will it further entrench the cycle of conflict that has defined the region for decades?
