Amnesty International has raised concerns that Israel’s establishment of a “buffer zone” in the Gaza Strip may constitute a war crime.
According to the human rights organization, an assessment reveals a “systematic destruction” pattern across the eastern perimeter of Gaza, suggesting the intentional clearing of entire areas.
“These homes were not casualties of fierce combat,” said Amnesty’s Erika Guevara-Rosas. “Rather, after taking control, the Israeli military deliberately flattened the land.”
Amnesty labeled this campaign as “wanton destruction,” referring to the damage of civilian property held by an adversary, even when there is no military need.
Israel has justified the demolition as a security measure following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7.
The cleared land stretches between 1km and 1.8km in width along Gaza’s eastern borders.
The enlarged “buffer zone” spans around 58 square kilometers, representing 16 percent of Gaza’s total area. By May of this year, over 90 percent of the buildings in this region had been demolished, amounting to more than 3,500 structures.
Amnesty argues that this extensive destruction, including agricultural lands, amounts to collective punishment of Palestinians, regardless of whether militants used civilian infrastructure in the past.
Since the war’s early stages, Israel has faced allegations of forcibly leveling Gaza’s border areas. In February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that such actions might qualify as war crimes.
Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official stationed in Lebanon, remarked in January that Israel aims to establish a security belt along Gaza’s border by destroying residential neighborhoods and bulldozing civilian areas.
“This is an outright crime and an attack on our lands and holy sites,” Hamdan stated, adding, “Our people and resistance will thwart these plans.”
Netanyahu’s Strategy The findings surfaced as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s intent to maintain its presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a slim stretch along Gaza’s Egyptian border.
The Philadelphi corridor, initially demilitarized under Israeli-Egyptian agreements in 1979 and 2005, was occupied by Israeli forces in May.
In separate press conferences in Hebrew and English, Netanyahu claimed that Hamas had been smuggling weapons into Gaza through this area. He insisted that Israel’s continued control would prevent future incidents like the October 7 attacks.
Reports also suggest that Israel is determined to maintain control over the Netzarim corridor, a route constructed by the Israeli military during Gaza’s ground invasion. This road, now dotted with military bases, allows Israeli forces to control movement between northern and southern Gaza and stage operations.
Some analysts caution that Israel’s plans might go beyond these areas.
Itay Epshtain, a special advisor to the Norwegian Refugee Council, posted an image on X depicting what he claimed is Israel’s vision for post-war Gaza. The image, shared by Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, a Likud party member, in January, shows a vastly expanded buffer zone used as a security perimeter.
The map divides Gaza’s cities with two corridors—Netzarim in the north and another in the south. Under this vision, Gaza City would be left abandoned, while towns like Khan Younis, Rafah, and Deir al-Balah would be under Israeli control, possibly with local civilian administration.
Epshtain concluded that “Netanyahu has opened the floodgates.”
