Israeli Forces Flatten Gaza Border Areas to Create Militarized Zone

Israeli forces have already destroyed 1,100 of the 2,800 buildings in Gaza's border areas

Israel is destroying buildings and flattening areas of Gaza on the Israeli border to create a so-called “buffer zone” that Israel will militarize, demonstrating its long-term plans to occupy the Strip.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli soldiers began working in November in an area in northern Gaza to create a wasteland roughly 1 kilometer in width. “Everything has been flattened,” one soldier said. “It was mostly agriculture. Now it’s a military zone, a complete no man’s land.”

Twenty-one Israeli soldiers were recently killed while planting explosives in a central Gaza neighborhood near the border as part of the work to destroy Gaza’s border areas. A Hamas rocket hit a nearby tank, detonating the explosives and collapsing the buildings.

According to a recent report from Israel’s N12 news, Israeli forces have already destroyed 1,100 of the 2,800 buildings in the border areas. Israeli officials have not confirmed the figures but have acknowledged they’re creating a “buffer zone” to prevent a future October 7-style attack.

Israeli officials claim the work is being done to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure,” but the fact that Israeli soldiers are able to plant explosives in buildings to demolish them makes it clear there’s no threat.

Financial Times reported that the US opposes Israel’s plans to take over Gaza’s border territory. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the US does “not want to see the territory of Gaza reduced in any way.” But the US continues to provide Israel with unconditional military support and political cover.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.