Israel bulldozes swaths of Gaza, securing path for advancing troops

Israel has bulldozed large areas of the Gaza Strip – including beachfronts, farmland, forests and homes – to make fortified positions for military vehicles as they advance across the enclave.

Despite Israel’s partial troop withdrawal from Gaza and a reduction in operations in the strip’s north, satellite imagery shows ongoing land clearing and military advancement in southern and central Gaza.

This pattern of clearing broad areas and building fortified positions has been repeated hundreds of times across the Gaza Strip, a New York Times analysis of commercial satellite imagery found.

Often these fortified positions are occupied by Israeli forces for only a few days before they move deeper into the enclave. Wide areas surrounding the fortifications also suffered extensive damage, with farmland and roads often destroyed by the movement of heavy tracked vehicles.

Israel’s military capabilities far outmatch Hamas’, with tanks, guided munitions and modern fighter jets, but fighting in a built-up area is still high-risk. There are many locations where Hamas fighters can hide and ambush Israeli troops, including the extensive tunnel network below Gaza.

Military experts say that Israeli forces build fortified positions in order to guard against the risk of infantry attacks and anti-tank weapons used by Hamas, especially at night, when fewer troops are on patrol.

“Troops can move into buildings for security, but vehicles are outside. Thus, the Israelis build these berms for protection,” said Mark Cancian, a former White House weapons strategist who is now a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

As forces advance, they often build new fortifications each night. “The Israelis don’t want to pull their vehicles back every night and possibly lose territory,” Cancian said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.