Israel building watchtowers and outposts in Gaza in sign of post-war ambitions

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Dr Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security analyst and lecturer at King’s College London, suggests that while much of Israel’s construction in Gaza could be swiftly dissembled, the Netzarim Corridor appears more entrenched.

“They have created forward operating bases there, which I would consider to be semi-permanent,” he said. “If you look at the structures, you have high walls, watch towers, barriers, and somewhat of a moat that runs along the corridor.

“This does not suggest that they are doing this to support the current campaign.”

He said the construction was ongoing despite withdrawal talks and appeared to be “part of some sort of governance infrastructure”.

Dr Krieg notes that Israel has entrenched one of the world’s longest-running occupations in the West Bank by establishing temporary infrastructure and civilian settlements that were never withdrawn, and in many cases retroactively formalised.

Period	5 Jun 2024
Held at	iNews, United Kingdom