In yet another indication of its long-term intentions in Gaza, Israel has unveiled a new military corridor cutting across Khan Younis, further entrenching a fractured reality on the ground. The 15-kilometre route, dubbed “Magen Oz”, now splits the city into eastern and western halves, heightening fears among Palestinians that the war is not only about military conquest, but about redrawing Gaza’s map in Israel’s favour.

Palestinian officials and civil society voices warn that the creation of this corridor, now the fourth of its kind after Netzarim, Philadelphi and Morag—is part of a systematic effort to sever the Strip into isolated zones, undermining any prospect of territorial continuity or national sovereignty. Rather than pointing to an endgame, these moves appear to reflect an Israeli agenda focused on permanent control.

At a time when negotiations for a ceasefire hang by a thread, the corridor has sent a chilling message. Palestinian representatives argue that Israeli engagement at the diplomatic table lacks sincerity, serving only to placate international actors while continuing to reshape Gaza’s geography on the ground.

For Palestinians enduring the war’s devastation, each bulldozed road and fortified wall symbolises not just military dominance but a deeper erasure, of land, of unity, of future. The Magen Oz corridor is more than a route; it is a line drawn against Gaza’s survival.