Female IDF observers serving in two sectors of the Gaza envelope have warned in recent days that they identify Hamas suspects and operatives reaching the Yellow Line daily, posing an immediate threat, but field forces are not receiving authorization to engage them, according to an N12 report Thursday night. The observers stated that Hamas is exploiting the current reality and testing the military's response in a manner reminiscent of the period before the October 7 massacre.
Female IDF observation soldiers (תצפיתניות) stationed in the northern and southern Gaza envelope have reported to their commanders and to N12 that Hamas operatives are reaching the IDF's Yellow Line buffer zone on a daily basis. The observers said the military has not authorized engagement with the suspects, despite the clear threat they pose to troops in the area. According to the soldiers, Hamas is deliberately testing Israel's rules of engagement, a tactic that preceded the October 7, 2023 massacre.
The Yellow Line marks the IDF's forward defensive perimeter inside the Gaza Strip, established after the 2023 war. Multiple warnings have emerged over recent months about Hamas probing this line. In July, Channel 14 reported that Hamas had moved long-range missiles near the Yellow Line. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) warned in August that Hamas was pushing civilians toward the line.
The N12 report Thursday night is the first to cite active female observers on the ground making a direct comparison to the pre-October 7 period, when Hamas systematically tested Israeli responses and normalized border breaches without consequences. Israeli security commentators have expressed frustration that eliminating Hamas terrorists near the Yellow Line has become an unusual occurrence rather than routine.
The IDF has not commented on the report. It remains unclear whether the engagement policy described by the observers reflects a deliberate tactical restraint or a degraded authorization chain. The story is developing.
3 developments
- StrongSecurity commentary warns Hezbollah is 'normalizing' border breaches to replicate October 7 pattern
- DevelopingReport: Security forces received late warning of unusual Hamas activity in Gaza before massive warning fire
- StrongBitton Rosen: IDF expands yellow line in Gaza, continues eliminating Oct. 7 terrorists
- DevelopingSoldier reports: Militant crossed the Yellow Line in Gaza; no approval to shoot
Source and signal
- Open-source intake