Yellow Line (Gaza)

The Yellow Line refers to a demarcation line dividing the Gaza Strip in two, following the October 2025 Gaza peace plan to end the Gaza war.^[1] The area east of the line, covering 53% of the Gaza Strip's territory, is under Israeli military control, whilst the area west of the line, covering 47% of the Gaza Strip, is controlled by Hamas.^[2] In Phase 2 of the Gaza peace plan, the IDF is to withdraw to a Red Line.^[3]

Map of the Yellow Line

The demarcation line is currently partially marked by yellow-painted concrete blocks laid down by the Israeli military; as of 28 October 2025, around 10–20% of that work has been completed.^[4] Some Gazans have expressed concerns that the Yellow Line, intended as a temporary ceasefire line, may become a permanent border.^[5]

Israel prevents Palestinians, sometimes using lethal force^[2], from crossing east of the line, including those displaced from this area during the war.^[2][5] The vast majority of the Gaza Strip's population of 2 million people is in the Palestinian-controlled western portion of the territory. Hundreds of Palestinians live in the Israeli-controlled eastern portion, including Gazans who spoke out against Hamas during the war and fear retribution from Hamas.^[4]

Background

Main articles: Gaza war and Gaza peace plan

As part of the broader, ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinian armed groups led by Hamas launched the October 7 attacks in 2023, triggering the Gaza war and genocide. The Gaza peace plan aims to end the war through a ceasefire and phased withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The map of the Yellow Line as part of the Gaza peace plan was first released by Donald Trump on his social media platform Truth Social.^[6] On 10 October 2025, the Gaza peace plan came into effect.^[7] This peace plan envisioned 3 phases, the first of which contained the Israel Defense Force withdrawing to the Yellow Line. The second and third phases are still to be negotiated between Israel and Hamas, and have not yet occurred.^[8]

Analysis

Commentators have observed that the Yellow Line, intended to be temporary under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, is becoming increasingly entrenched.^[4][5] While some parts of the line have been demarcated with concrete barriers, other portions are unmarked; Israel has declared all areas of the Gaza Strip outside of the Yellow Line to be a free-fire zone, regardless of whether the boundary has been marked on the ground.^[5]

See also

• Green Line (1949)
• Blue Line (Lebanon, 2000)
• Purple Line (1967 War)