IDF Orders Halt to Westward Expansion of Control Line in Gaza Following US Pressure

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip have received official instructions to stop pushing the 'yellow line' westward after months of expanding control to nearly two-thirds of the territory. Soldiers were also directed to document any violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas, including using their phones for evidence when necessary. This directive came after a four-hour meeting involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump's envoy Jared Kushner, and Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. The meeting occurred amid US pressure to advance the implementation of phase two of the Trump peace plan. Following the discussion, Kushner and Mladenov also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The original 'yellow line' was defined in Trump's 20-point plan in September of the previous year, granting Israel control over just over half of Gaza. For the first time, the IDF has now been ordered to halt further westward territorial advances.