Netanyahu visits Gaza outpost: 'We are not withdrawing' from Yellow Line

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an Israel Defense Forces outpost near the Yellow Line inside the Gaza Strip and held a security assessment at the army's Gaza Division, according to statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. He was accompanied on the visit into the Strip by the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Commander of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and the Commander of the 99th "HaBazak" Division, Brig. Gen. Elad Tzuri.

Speaking at the outpost, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were holding their positions. In remarks released by his office, he said: "We control the area and we remain on this line. We are doing everything to reach our goal, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza. Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel." He added that Israel controls 60% of the Strip and that forces were not withdrawing.

What the Yellow Line is

The Yellow Line is the line inside the Gaza Strip behind which Israeli forces are deployed. In his remarks the prime minister described standing inside Gaza and being able to see Ashkelon, a coastal city in southern Israel, along with Sderot, Netivot and the kibbutzim, the communal farming villages that make up much of the Israeli countryside bordering the Strip. Those communities are the reference point for the army's stated mission in the sector: keeping threats away from populated areas a short distance from the fence.

The prime minister's office said he received a briefing from commanders in the field on the activity of IDF forces in the Yellow Line area, on operational missions in the sector, and on efforts to remove threats and protect both the soldiers and the surrounding communities.

The Gaza Division and Southern Command

The Gaza Division is the IDF formation responsible for the territory bordering the Gaza Strip. It sits under Southern Command, one of the army's regional commands, which covers the Negev desert and the southern approaches to Israel. The 99th Division, whose commander joined the tour, is a divisional formation deployed in the sector.

The Chief of the General Staff is the IDF's most senior officer and reports to the defense minister and the government. Netanyahu was also accompanied by his Chief of Staff, the Director of the National Security Council, which coordinates security policy for the prime minister, and his Military Secretary, the serving officer who serves as the link between the prime minister and the armed forces.

The arrest of a senior Hamas security official

At the Gaza Division, the prime minister's office said Netanyahu met fighters of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, who led a joint operation with Southern Command in which the head of Hamas's internal security apparatus in Gaza was apprehended. Netanyahu commended them for what the statement called a daring and successful operation.

In his remarks at the outpost, the prime minister referred to the same operation, describing the detained man as Hamas's chief of internal security and saying it had taken place the previous day. "We will surely learn a few things," he said, without elaborating on what the detainee might be questioned about.

The stated war aims

Netanyahu restated the objectives Israel has set out for the campaign in Gaza: the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Strip. He said the goal had been achieved to a large extent and that work remained to complete it. The two statements from his office, both photographed by the Government Press Office, were the only accounts of the visit released.

What the statements do not say

The material published by the prime minister's office leaves several things open. It does not name the Hamas official who was detained, does not say where in Gaza he was taken, and does not describe how the operation was carried out or whether anyone was hurt. It does not say where he is being held or whether he has been questioned.

The statements also do not identify the specific outpost Netanyahu visited or give its location beyond saying it is near the Yellow Line. No detail is given on how the figure of 60% of the Strip is measured, nor on how long forces are expected to remain in their current positions. There is no indication in the material of any change to deployments, and no comment from Hamas or from any other party is included. Nothing in the statements addresses negotiations, humanitarian arrangements or the situation of hostages.