Israel's 'yellow line' in Gaza gives Netanyahu room for manoeuvre

Israeli forces have adjusted their military positions in Gaza, pulling back to a boundary that allows Israel to maintain control over most of the territory. This strategic move is intended to keep far-right ministers aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at least for the time being. The situation in Gaza remains tense, with ongoing hostilities and significant casualties since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023. In a related development, Israel announced the return of the body of Lior Rudaeff, who died while defending the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz during the Hamas attack. The Israeli military confirmed this return, which is part of a broader context involving the ongoing negotiations regarding hostages. Additionally, Israel has received two bodies from Hamas, which the group claims are deceased hostages, leading to public outrage in Israel over the demand for the return of all deceased hostages from Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump, during his flight to Israel, stated that "war is over" in Gaza and expressed confidence that a ceasefire "is going to hold." He proposed a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the fighting immediately, contingent upon the release of hostages and detained Gazans. The Israeli military chief, Eyal Zamir, indicated that the "yellow line" in Trump's ceasefire plan represents a "new border" for Israel, asserting that military positions will be maintained. Furthermore, the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel is obligated to allow humanitarian aid from the United Nations into Gaza. This ruling follows calls from the UN humanitarian chief for Israel to open more crossings into Gaza, as reports indicate that Palestinians are stockpiling food due to concerns over a potential collapse of the ceasefire.