Under Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza, the yellow line - which Israel withdrew to earlier this month - is the first of three stages of Israeli military withdrawal. It leaves Israel in control of about 53% of the Gaza Strip.
One Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, referred to it as effectively the new border in Gaza. This remark aligns with the interests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners.
The fortifications being constructed along this boundary serve to delineate the territory but may also mask the varying expectations held by Netanyahu's allies in Washington and within Israel.
The duration that Netanyahu can maintain this balancing act relies heavily on the next round of negotiations.
The boundary marked by the yellow line is temporary; however, further withdrawal of Israeli forces hinges on resolving intricate issues linked to the second stage of Trump's deal, particularly the transfer of power in Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.
Washington is keen on ensuring stability during this delicate negotiation phase. US Vice-President JD Vance's visit to Israel was aimed at encouraging Netanyahu to continue peace talks. Negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also met with the Prime Minister this week.
Israeli media report a clear message from American allies for Netanyahu to demonstrate restraint and uphold the ceasefire. Following Hamas's breach of the ceasefire, which resulted in Israeli soldiers' deaths, responses have varied, with some advocating military action.
Instead, Israel conducted a brief wave of airstrikes before reaffirming the truce, emphasizing that its military response was constrained to actions within the yellow line, signaling compliance to the US.
Netanyahu insists that the conflict will not culminate until Hamas is dismantled and Gaza is fully disarmed. Yet many commentators argue that the critical decisions affecting Israel's military actions are increasingly influenced by Washington.
The yellow line, along with the challenging negotiations ahead, helps explain why Netanyahu's coalition partners are currently opting for restraint rather than pursuing threats to destabilize his government. The aspiration among many extremists is for the next stage of negotiations to prove too complex to resolve, which would establish the yellow line as a de facto border and pave the way for new Israeli settlements in Gazan territory. Some hardliners advocate for the annexation of all of Gaza.
A significant portion of the Israeli populace desires an end to the conflict, with a focus on the safe return of hostages and soldiers.
Netanyahu, known for keeping multiple options available, navigated the initial withdrawal to maintain control over more than half of Gaza while agreeing to a ceasefire aimed at securing the return of hostages.
Aligning US and domestic aspirations will become progressively intricate from this point onwards. Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that any violations by Hamas, particularly relating to disarmament, would permit a return to military engagement.
President Trump has echoed similar sentiments, stressing that changes must be realized without resorting to warfare while displaying a current tolerance for delays in implementing the deal, thus constraining Netanyahu's political leeway.
