rki.news
GAZA, Oct. 1 – The Israeli army announced on Wednesday the closure of the Al-Rasheed coastal road, the main route connecting southern and northern Gaza, preventing displaced Palestinians from returning to their homes in the north.
Army spokesman Avichai Adraee stated that the road would be shut from noon, allowing only southward passage for those still in Gaza City. The move effectively seals off northern Gaza, which has already been isolated for months due to repeated closures since October 2023.
Although the route was briefly reopened during a ceasefire in January 2025, Israeli forces have again imposed restrictions amid an intensified ground offensive launched in September. Tanks and troops have advanced into several neighborhoods of Gaza City in what the military described as the fiercest fighting since the operation began, targeting Hamas strongholds and seeking the release of remaining Israeli hostages.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced multiple times during the conflict. Humanitarian organizations warn that the latest closure will worsen living conditions, obstruct aid delivery, and deepen the isolation of civilians trapped in northern Gaza.