{{Short description|Israeli security corridor in southern Gaza}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Morag Corridor | image_map = Gaza map GHF distribution-IDF invasion June 2025.png | map_caption = Map of Israeli military corridors in Gaza, including the Morag Corridor. The Morag Corridor separates the Gaza Strip between Khan Yunis and Rafah, stretching northwest from Israel to the Mediterranean Sea | coordinates = {{coord|31|18|30|N|34|17|17|E|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = [[Gaza Strip]] | established_title = Fully captured | established_date = 12 April 2025 | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 11 | mapframe-wikidata = yes }} [[File:Corridor de Morag.png|thumb]] [[File:October 2023 Gaza−Israel conflict.svg|thumb|200px|Map of the [[Gaza war]]]]
The '''Morag Corridor''' is an [[Israel Defense Forces|Israeli]] security corridor in the southern [[Gaza Strip]] announced by [[Prime Minister of Israel]] [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] on 2 April 2025 during a renewed [[Rafah offensive|offensive]] against [[Rafah]], and fully established on 12 April 2025. The security zone, named after a former Jewish settlement that once existed between [[Rafah]] and [[Khan Yunis]], would create a third Israeli-controlled axis dividing sections of Gaza. Netanyahu described this measure as intended to increase pressure on [[Hamas]] to release remaining hostages and surrender control of the territory.<ref name="ap2april">{{Cite web |date=2 April 2025 |title=Netanyahu says Israel will establish a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-gaza-operation-04-02-2025-6b653fc8fa1e6f0c1a0c8d322bd48ccc |access-date=4 April 2025 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref><ref name="cnn3april">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=3 April 2025 |title=Netanyahu says Israel is now dividing up Gaza. What does that mean on the ground? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/03/middleeast/netanyahu-israel-gaza-dividing-morag-intl/index.html |access-date=4 April 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Israel cuts off Rafah, issues new forced displacement orders for Gaza |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/12/israel-cuts-off-rafah-issues-new-forced-displacement-orders-for-gaza |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>
== History == {{See also|March 2025 Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip}} The Morag Corridor's establishment was first announced by [[Prime Minister of Israel]] [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] on 2 April 2025, following the resumption of [[March 2025 Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip|Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip]] after the breakdown of the [[January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire|ceasefire implemented in January 2025]]. The corridor was named after [[Morag (Israeli settlement)|Morag]], an Israeli settlement in [[Gush Katif]] prior to its [[Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip|2005 disestablishment]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 April 2025 |title=Israel's Netanyahu announces new 'Morag' security corridor across Gaza |url=https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250402-live-israel-seize-large-areas-gaza-strip-palestine-hamas-netanyahu-war |access-date=4 April 2025 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> He stated that the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF) were "switching gears" in Gaza, with the Morag Corridor being part of plans to seize more territory and establish new security corridors. The corridors would effectively partition Gaza into separate sections with restricted travel between them.<ref name="cnn3april"/>
The corridor, upon completion, would join two existing Israeli-controlled security zones in Gaza: the [[Philadelphi Corridor]] along Gaza's southern border with [[Egypt]] under Israeli control since May 2024, and the [[Netzarim Corridor]] separating [[North Gaza Governorate|northern Gaza]] and [[Gaza City]] from the rest of the territory.<ref name="ap2april"/> Netanyahu described the Morag Corridor as "the second Philadelphi, an additional Philadelphi Corridor".<ref name="cnn3april"/>
The third corridor would effectively separate [[Rafah]], Gaza's southernmost city, from the [[Deir al-Balah Governorate|central parts]] of the Gaza Strip. According to Netanyahu's statement, this strategic division aims to "cut up the strip" and intensify pressure on [[Hamas]] until they release all remaining [[Gaza war hostage crisis|Israeli hostages]], disarm, and leave Gaza. In his announcement, he directly connected the establishment of the corridor to hostage negotiations, stating it was intended to increase leverage against Hamas.<ref name="ap2april"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Lazar |last2=Fabian |first2=Emanuel |title=Netanyahu says IDF carving new corridor across Gaza to cut off Rafah, pressure Hamas |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-says-idf-carving-new-corridor-across-gaza-to-cut-off-rafah-pressure-hamas/ |access-date=4 April 2025 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[Ministry of defence|Defense Minister]] [[Israel Katz]] further indicated that Israel intended to seize "large areas" to incorporate into these security zones. He separately demanded that residents of Gaza "expel Hamas and return all the hostages," describing this as "the only way to end the war."<ref name="ap2april"/>
On 12 April, the Israeli Defense Forces announced the full takeover of the corridor by the [[Golani Brigade|Golani Infantry Brigade]] and the [[36th Division (Israel)|36th Division]]’s [[188th Armored Brigade (Israel)|188th Armored Brigade]], and ordered the complete evacuation of several neighborhoods in Rafah to [[Al-Mawasi, Rafah|al-Mawasi]]. Engineering teams began building a road extending through the corridor. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the corridor's establishment resulted in Rafah becoming an “Israeli security zone”, establishing a southern buffer zone extending from the Philadelphi Corridor to Khan Yunis and covering roughly 20% of the Gaza Strip.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |date=12 April 2025 |title=IDF says it has captured Gaza's Morag Corridor, cutting off Rafah from Khan Younis |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-has-captured-gazas-morag-corridor-cutting-off-rafah-from-khan-younis/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |language=en-US |issn=0040-7909}}</ref>
== Responses == Former [[Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories]] (COGAT) Eitan Dangot suggested the Morag Corridor's seizure could represent the beginning of a division of Gaza into three sections for Israeli control. He characterized the approach as enabling "closed control" by IDF forces, preventing movement between areas and allowing Israel to maintain "full control of traffic that will be allowed to enter and to cross," including [[Humanitarian aid during the Gaza war|humanitarian aid]]. He further characterized the corridor as a possible "political decision" meant to show right-wing extremist government members that Israel would re-establish its presence in settlements that had been [[Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip|dismantled]].<ref name="cnn3april"/>
Former Head of the Civil Department for the COGAT Colonel [[Grisha Yakubovich]] posited that the IDF might intend extend a buffer zone in southern Gaza while evacuating the population of Rafah, with the stated goal of protecting nearby Israeli communities.<ref name="cnn3april"/>
The [[Palestinian Authority]], Hamas's political rival which governs the [[West Bank]], expressed "complete rejection" towards the corridor, while also calling for Hamas to relinquish power in Gaza.<ref name="ap2april"/>
Hamas has maintained that it would only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a comprehensive agreement including the release of [[Palestinians in Israeli custody|Palestinian prisoners]], a permanent ceasefire, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas rejected demands to disarm or leave the territory.<ref name="ap2april"/>
== See also == * [[Netzarim Corridor]] * [[Philadelphi Corridor]] * [[Egypt–Gaza barrier]] *[[Gaza–Israel barrier]]
== References == <references />
{{Gaza war}} {{whole Gaza Strip}}
[[Category:Israeli Security Forces]] [[Category:Rafah in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict]] [[Category:Khan Yunis in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict]] [[Category:Rafah offensive]] [[Category:2025 in the Gaza Strip]] [[Category:Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip]] [[Category:Military roads]] [[Category:Roads in Israeli-occupied territories]]