The Israeli military has opened a new corridor, dubbed the “Magen Oz,” slicing through Khan Younis in the besieged Strip, further isolating Palestinian communities.
Spanning roughly 15 kilometers, this corridor bisects the city from east to west, connecting with the previously established Morag Corridor that separates Khan Younis from Rafah.
The move, executed by Israel’s 36th Division, including the 188th Armored Brigade and Golani Infantry Brigade, is described by Israeli sources as a strategy to dismantle Palestinian resistance infrastructure.
This development, in violation of international law, exacerbates the systematic fragmentation of Gaza, shrinking habitable areas for Palestinians and deepening their isolation.
The Magen Oz Corridor complicates faltering ceasefire negotiations in Doha, as Israel insists on maintaining its expanding network of buffer zones across the besieged Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to withdraw forces from these axes, including the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, stalls talks while perpetuating the devastation of Gaza.
The corridor’s creation has ethnically cleansed large rural areas of Khan Younis, destroying agricultural lands and homes, leaving families unable to return even if a ceasefire is reached.
Israeli media reports suggest plans to expand this zone into a “concentration area” on Rafah’s ruins, further confining Palestinians in tightly controlled enclaves.
Israel’s actions, including the systematic targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system and infrastructure, have killed nearly 58,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023.
The relentless bombardment has triggered food shortages and disease outbreaks, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, as its network of corridors continues to redraw Gaza’s geography, entrenching control and displacement in violation of international law.