Israel’s shifting yellow line has made Palestinian bodies buried under the rubble harder to access and recover

Around 75% of buildings in Gaza have likely been damaged or destroyed since October 2023, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by Oregon State University. Under the October 2025 ceasefire plan, Israeli forces were instructed to withdraw to the “yellow line,” which demarcated occupied areas. That demarcation zone has since pushed deeper into Gaza, as shown by yellow concrete blocks seen in a CNN analysis of satellite imagery from August 2026.