Israel completes construction of Morag corridor in Gaza, Rafah separated from Gaza Strip
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Israel announced on Saturday that it had completed construction of the new Morag corridor in Gaza, separating the southern city of Rafah from the rest of the Gaza Strip, giving Palestinians even more room to entrench a shrinking swath of land as airstrikes continue across the enclave.
An Israeli army statement said the army had “completed the siege of Rafah.” Israeli troops with the 36th Division were deployed last week to Morag, the name of a Jewish settlement that once lay between Rafah and Khan Yunis, after the army ordered a sweeping evacuation covering most of Rafah. Israel indicated the army could launch another major ground operation soon.
Why Israel vowed to occupy Palestine
This comes as Israel has vowed to occupy large parts of Palestinian territory to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are estimated to be alive. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has also imposed a months-long blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid, leaving the territory’s nearly 2 million Palestinians facing acute shortages as supplies run low, a strategy that rights groups call a war crime. Netanyahu had said Morag would be the “second Philadelphia corridor”, which refers to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt to the south, which has been under Israeli control since May.
Israel also gained control here
Israel has also established control over the Netzarim corridor, which separates the northern third of Gaza from the rest of the Strip. Israel’s defense minister warned Palestinians on Saturday that the army was going to “vigorously” expand into other locations in Gaza, urging them to “overthrow Hamas” and release hostages, saying “Hamas is unable to protect Gaza residents or the territory. Hamas leaders are hiding with their families in tunnels and in luxury hotels abroad, with billions of dollars in their bank accounts, and they are using you as hostages,” Katz said. He also said Palestinians interested in “voluntarily” relocating to other countries would be able to do so under the proposal by US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
