Civilians Near or Crossing Gaza's Yellow Line Face Death
- ACRI
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
On July 8, 2026, ACRI submitted an appeal to the Minister of Defense, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and the Commander of the Southern Command, demanding the cancellation of the open-fire policy applied to civilians in the Gaza Strip based on their proximity to, or crossing of, the Yellow Line.
The Yellow Line, together with the Orange Line, currently restricts access to at least 64.9% of the territory of the Gaza Strip. The route of these lines changes over time and is not clearly or continuously marked on the ground. According to the testimonies and reports cited in the appeal, the mere approach of Palestinian civilians may result in live fire with lethal consequences, even where there is no indication that the individual poses a threat to military forces. Data collected by the UN indicates that between October 2025 and February 2026, at least 224 Palestinians, including children, were shot near the line and west of it.
In the appeal, Attorney Reut Shaer, Director of ACRI's Human Rights in the Occupied Territories Department, argued that the open-fire policy near the Yellow Line violates the right to life and contravenes the obligation under international law to distinguish between civilians and those taking part in hostilities. She also argued that the absence of clear markings turns an invisible operational line into a boundary between life and death.
The boundaries of the area enclosed by the Yellow Line are continuously expanding, and route changes result in families being repeatedly displaced, while further reducing the living space available to the population. Israel’s control over most of the territory of the Gaza Strip, together with restrictions imposed on civilian and humanitarian activity in the remaining areas, exacerbates overcrowding, prevents residents from returning to their homes and lands, undermines efforts to improve food security, and restricts or prevents reconstruction. Humanitarian work is also adversely affected.
Although the Yellow Line is ostensibly intended to mark the boundaries of a temporary buffer zone held by the IDF for security purposes, in practice, the military’s conduct indicates a clear intention to establish permanent control and presence in the area east of the line.
ACRI is demanding the immediate revision of the open-fire regulations and the repeal of any directive permitting the use of live fire solely on the basis of crossing the line or approaching it. The use of lethal force requires an individualized assessment regarding whether an immediate and concrete threat exists, and cannot serve as a means of enforcement or deterrence.
ACRI's appeal, July 8, 2026 (Heb)
The appeal was written with the help of ACRI’s legal intern, Saly May
