THE Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, southeast of Gaza City, is facing extensive urban destruction by Israeli firepower and forced displacement of its residents. The Israeli military has been demolishing buildings and flattening structures as far as the eye can see, from Street 10 to Street 8. What exactly is happening there?
Al-Zaytoun is near to Israeli military positions in Juhr al-Dik, central Gaza, and close to the geographical barrier known as the ‘Netzarim Axis’.
The Israeli authorities are working to expand this axis to encompass all of Al-Zaytoun and much of the Sabra neighbourhood as part of a plan to divide the Gaza Strip into security zones, control civilian life, exclude international humanitarian organisations, and establish a so-called ‘civil administration’ to manage the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Since the beginning of the ground invasion of Gaza in early November 2023, Al-Zaytoun has been heavily targeted by Israeli incursions, resulting in massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the death or injury of hundreds of its residents.
On February 20, 2024, the Israeli army, with two brigades from the 162nd Division, launched a military operation in Al-Zaytoun that lasted several weeks and involved fierce and difficult battles with Palestinian resistance fighters.
On March 4th, 2024, Israeli forces redeployed in the eastern part of Al-Zaytoun, signalling their determination to remain in the neighbourhood, which they see as a guarantee of control over northern Gaza.
On May 5th, 2024, the Israeli military conducted a six-day operation to continue what it called ‘dismantling the infrastructure’ of resistance in the area, and on August 24, 2024, they once again launched a ground incursion into the neighbourhood, accompanied by airstrikes, but facing fierce resistance that inflicted casualties.
The neighbourhood, with its long history of resisting Israeli incursions, has turned into a nightmare for the Israeli forces.
Since the start of the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7th, 2023, resistance fighters have engaged in fierce battles against various Israeli army brigades, clashing with armoured and infantry units, despite Israel’s reliance on armoured brigades to advance and target fighters there.
The deployment of these brigades reflects Israeli fears of the intense combat that could lead to soldiers being sniped or captured.
The 36th Division, one of the largest armoured divisions in the Israeli army, led the attack on Al-Zaytoun. This division includes four brigades, the most famous being the Golani Brigade, alongside the 401st Armoured Brigade, known as the ‘Iron Trails’. The division consists of armoured battalions, infantry units, and an engineering battalion and is considered one of the most important in field battles.
Al-Zaytoun has long been a stronghold of resistance and a significant challenge to Israeli incursions that have persisted since the Second Intifada. In 2004, fighters from the Al-Qassam Brigades detonated an Israeli APC, killing six Israeli engineering corps soldiers.
