Israeli army chief claims 'yellow line' new border inside Gaza

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Israeli army chief claims 'yellow line' new border inside Gaza

2025-12-08 13:04 Last Updated At：12-10 13:16

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said on Sunday that the "yellow line" demarcation is the "new borderline" inside the Gaza Strip, while sources reported that a Palestinian who crossed the line was killed on the same day.

The "yellow line" marks the zone from which Israeli troops have not withdrawn in the Palestinian enclave, as part of the ceasefire arrangements that took effect on Oct. 10.

"The 'yellow line' is a new borderline, serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity," Zamir said during a visit to Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya in Gaza, where he met division commanders.

He said the military has assumed "operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip," adding that Israeli forces "will remain" in those areas.

Zamir added the army "will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself" and is preparing for "surprise attack scenarios," which he described as a cornerstone of the military's upcoming multi-year plan.

On Sunday, a Palestinian was killed Sunday by Israeli army fire in the Mawasi area of Rafah in southern Gaza.

Ambulance and emergency services said the person was killed outside Israeli army deployment areas in Mawasi.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops in southern Gaza "identified a terrorist who crossed the yellow line and approached the troops, posing an immediate threat", and that they "eliminated the terrorist".

The Palestinian side has not yet responded.

Since the October ceasefire, Gaza health authorities said Israeli attacks have killed 373 Palestinians and injured 970. Overall, since Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have killed 70,360 Palestinians and injured 171,047.

Chinese FM urges joint efforts with France to de-escalate Middle East tensions

China hopes that France will work with China to promote de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East and jointly uphold the basic norms of international relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

In a phone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged France to uphold an objective and fair position and maintain a calm and rational approach on the current situation.

During their talks, Barrot elaborated on France's position on the current situation in the Middle East, stressing that France and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear special responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security.

He noted that the military action by the United States and Israel against Iran neither sought the opinions of the Security Council nor obtained its authorization, stressing that all parties should now work together to promote de-escalation and resolve the Iran nuclear issue and other issues through negotiations.

China maintains good relations with both Iran and countries in the Gulf region, Barrot said, voicing his hope to work together with China to play a positive role in easing tensions in the region.

For his part, Wang reiterated China's principled position, stressing that the international community should resist any acts that violate international law and must not apply double standards.

Major countries must not use their military advantage to launch arbitrary attacks against other nations, and the world should not revert to the law of the jungle, said Wang.

The Iran nuclear issue should ultimately return to the track of political and diplomatic resolution, he said.