{{Short description|Military road through the Gaza Strip}} {{pp|small=yes}} {{About|the road|the military area|Netzarim Corridor}} {{Infobox road | name = Route 749 | translation = {{lang|he|כביש 749}} | image = פיתוח כביש 749.jpg | image_notes = Construction work on the route | map = {{maplink-road}} | map_custom = yes | length_km = 6.8 | length_ref = | established = October 2023 }}
'''Route 749''' ({{langx|he|כביש 749}}), also known as the '''Cross-Gaza Highway''' ({{langx|he|כביש חוצה עזה}}) or '''Netzarim Corridor''' ({{langx|he|מסדרון נצרים}}) is an east–west road in the Gaza Strip, bisecting the strip into northern and southern parts. The road was built by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Gaza war in 2023 to facilitate Israeli military operations within the Strip.
== Route and purpose == thumb|The route in the process of being paved
The road begins near Kibbutz Be'eri in Israel and travels west through the entire Gaza Strip before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The road is parallel to the northern border of the strip, bisecting the area into north and south. According to the commander of the IDF's 601st Battalion, the purpose of the route is the to "protect the area, advance towards enemy territory, prevent the passage from the south to the north and to control it very precisely".<ref name="construction">{{Cite web |title=כאן כדי להישאר: המבצע ההנדסי הגדול של צה"ל לביתור רצועת עזה |publisher=Now14 |date=February 17, 2024 |url=https://www.now14.co.il/article/917654 |language=he}}</ref>
In February 2024, the IDF's Combat Engineering Corps and 601st Battalion operated dozens of engineering vehicles and dirt trucks to begin the route's paving process. To help with this process, stone factories were opened in the area, where crushed stones acted as a base for paving the road.<ref name="construction"/> By March 6, satellite images showed that the IDF had completed the paving of the route.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Israel completes construction of road which cuts across Gaza Strip |publisher=Sky News |date=March 7, 2024 |url=https://news.sky.com/story/israel-completes-construction-of-road-which-cuts-across-gaza-strip-13089556}}</ref>
According to the Israeli Army Radio, the road is designed to be built for travel at speeds of up to {{convert|70|km/h|abbr=on}}, and is not just built for armoured personnel carriers, but also for regular vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=מבארי ועד הים: כתבנו הצבאי דורון קדוש מציג את כביש 749 החדש, על שם הלוחם שלו ציון שרעבי ז״ל - כביש סלול באורך של שבעה ק״מ שמאפשר נסיעה לכל סוגי הרכבים. |via=Instagram |publisher=Israeli Army Radio |date=February 27, 2024 |url=https://www.instagram.com/glzradio/reel/C32eOotoG02/ |language=he}}</ref>
On 25 April 2024, the paving of the {{convert|6.8|km|mi|adj=on}} road was completed, so that a trip along the entire route takes about 8 minutes.<ref name="RafahPrep">{{Cite web |title=לקראת המבצע ברפיח: כוחות מילואים יחליפו את אוגדה 162 ברצועה |publisher=Now14 |date=April 25, 2024 |url=https://www.now14.co.il/article/948615}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Buildings and structures in the Gaza Strip Category:Gaza Strip in the Gaza war Category:Military roads Category:Siege of North Gaza