The Battle of Netzarim is an ongoing battle in the Israel-Hamas war, inside the Gaza Strip. The fighting is centered around the Netzarim Corridor, a road built by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) which runs through the middle of the Strip and has been used for launching military operations against Hamas-led Palestinian forces.[8]
| Battle of Netzarim | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Israel |
 Palestinian Islamic Jihad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine[1] Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine[2] Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades[3] Palestinian Mujahideen Movement[4] Palestinian Freedom Movement[5] | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Al Qassam Brigades Al-Quds Brigades Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades National Resistance Brigades Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades[7] Mujahideen Brigades Al-Ansar Brigades | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
 Unknown |
 Unknown | ||||||
Background
Netzarim was an Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip which was built in 1972 and dismantled in 2005 during the Israeli disengagement from the territory.[9] The IDF captured the site of the former settlement during the 2008-2009 Gaza War, which ended with a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from the Strip.[10][11]
The IDF named the present corridor after Netzarim, since it includes the site of the former settlement.[12]
Battle
The IDF captured the area that would become the Netzarim Corridor during the early stages of its invasion into the Gaza Strip. On 30 October 2023, IDF troops were confirmed to have entered the area of the former Netzarim settlement with infantry and tanks.[13][14][15] The next day Hamas claimed it attacked IDF vehicles there.[16] However, the first verified Hamas operations at the site of the former Netzarim were on 5 November.[17]
By 6 November, the IDF "had cut an informal, winding track" across the Gaza Strip which reached to the coast.[8] On 24 November, it was reported that the IDF would "continue administrative and logistical movements on the Netzarim axis and coastal road in the northern Gaza Strip".[18] Completion of the corridor was ultimately finalized between 5 March and 9 March 2024.[8]
Palestinian Islamic Jihad conducted two separate attacks on the Netzarim Corridor in December 2023.[19][20]
From March to April 2024, the two sides clashed regularly in the area. The IDF launched raids into the northern and central Gaza Strip,[21][22][23] while Palestinian forces launched multiple artillery and rocket attacks on the Netzarim Corridor.[24][25][26][27] By 7 April, following a series of successive withdrawals from the Gaza Strip, the Netzarim Corridor became the only area where the IDF was deployed.[28][29]
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies accessed on 8 May that the Netzarim Corridor had become "a magnet" for repeated Palestinian attacks,[30] with this analysis echoed by the Tehran Times on 20 July.[31] Nonetheless, the IDF continued military operations from the Corridor during this time. One IDF officer reported that troops have consistently found evidence of Palestinian militant activity, such as weapons and explosives, in almost every building they search near the area.[32]
References
- ^ Frantzman, Seth J. (8 May 2024). "The Netzarim corridor has become a magnet for Hamas attacks".
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, MARCH 17, 2024".
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 18, 2024".
- ^ https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-july-20-2024
- ^ https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-july-20-2024
- ^ https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-july-25-2024
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 18, 2024".
- ^ a b c "What Israel's strategic corridor in Gaza reveals about its postwar plans". Washington Post. 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "Israel completes Gaza withdrawal". The Guardian. August 22, 2005.
- ^ "Hamas agrees to 1-week ceasefire". CBC News. 2009-01-18. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- ^ "Last Israeli troops 'leave Gaza'". BBC. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Celine Alkhaldi, Allegra Goodwin and Richard Allen Greene "Israeli road splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, satellite imagery shows" CNN March 8, 2024
- ^ Berger, Miriam; Harb, Hajar; Booth, William (2023-10-31). "Israel tanks penetrate deep into Gaza, as Hamas hostage video emerges". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "Mapping Israel's ground assault into Gaza". The Washington Post.
- ^ Kottasová, Ivana (30 October 2023). "Israeli ground operation seemingly intensifying in Gaza, CNN crews report". CNN.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, OCTOBER 31, 2023". Institute for the Study of War.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 5, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 24, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, DECEMBER 1, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, DECEMBER 14, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, MARCH 16, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 20, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 24, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, MARCH 17, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, MARCH 19, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, MARCH 21, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 18, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (7 April 2024). "IDF withdraws ground troops from south Gaza, leaving just one brigade in whole enclave". The Times of Israel.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, APRIL 29, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Frantzman, Seth J. (2024-05-08). "The Netzarim corridor has become a magnet for Hamas attacks". FDD. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "Gaza resistance pounds IOF at "Netzarim"". Tehran Times. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "IRAN UPDATE, JULY 1, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-07-26.