Published On 5/17/2026
Brigadier General Hassan Jouni, a military and strategic expert, revealed the features of what he described as a “radical transformation” in the Israeli security doctrine inside the Gaza Strip, indicating that the occupation army no longer deals with the lines of control as stages of withdrawal in accordance with previous agreements, but rather turned them into platforms for expanding military operations and imposing new field realities on the ground.
In an analysis he presented to the Al Jazeera Analytical Studio, Johnny explained that what is known as the “Yellow Line” was essentially a withdrawal line determined by the agreement signed with the Hamas movement, and it was supposed to constitute a transitional phase according to which Israeli forces would withdraw from specific areas in conjunction with the prisoner issue, before moving later to broader stages of withdrawal.
But what is new, according to Johnny, is that this line has turned into a starting point for a new military expansion towards the so-called “orange line,” which led to the establishment of a new security operations area between the yellow and orange lines, which he considered a complete change in the Israeli outlook toward the Gaza Strip.
He said that Israel had moved from the concept of “gradual withdrawal” to the policy of “eating away land,” explaining that the new area had become a space for maneuver and permanent military movement, instead of being part of the withdrawal arrangements stipulated in previous understandings.
The military expert pointed out that the occupation army sought, by expanding this security zone, to include Salah al-Din Street, the vital artery that connects the northern Gaza Strip to its south, because of its strategic importance in controlling the movement of residents and movements within the Strip.
In a reading of the humanitarian reality, Johnny said that the Israeli security vision does not take into account the presence of more than two million Palestinians trapped in a narrow area that does not exceed about 30% of the area of the Strip, stressing that Israel deals with Gaza as an “area for security operations” and not as a populated area.
He added that the current military escalation, including raids, assassinations, and expansion of areas of control, reflects Israel’s exploitation of a regional moment, which he described as “preoccupied,” in light of the international focus on Iran, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and the ongoing regional negotiations, which gives Tel Aviv an opportunity to redraw new security rules in Gaza away from international pressure.
Operations area
Johnny linked this escalation to the statements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – wanted by the International Criminal Court – in which he spoke about Israel’s control over about 60% of the area of the Gaza Strip, considering that Netanyahu is seeking to provide what he described as “military gains” inside Israel, at a time when he is facing increasing criticism against the backdrop of the results of the confrontations with Iran, in addition to the security challenges on the Lebanese front.
He explained that Israel treats the area between the yellow and orange lines as an “operational zone” and not a “fixed occupation zone,” which means adopting a dynamic movement pattern for Israeli forces, through continuous entry and exit operations without a permanent position, unlike the area behind the yellow line, which witnesses a fixed military presence awaiting what is supposed to be a subsequent phase of withdrawal towards the “red line.”
Regarding the file of disarmament of the Hamas movement, Johnny described the issue as “the main problematic point” in the current crisis, explaining that the movement links any discussion about weapons to the full implementation of the first phase of the agreement, while Israel insists that disarmament be a step that precedes the implementation of the understandings, which keeps the negotiations in a cycle of faltering and constant tension.
