Satellite images released on Friday by Israeli blogger and satellite imagery analyst Ben Tzion Macales reveal extensive construction activity by Israel along the Gaza-Egypt border, raising questions about the country’s shifting strategy in the region.
The images, taken since April 2025, show the construction of a dirt road stretching from the Egyptian border northward through the southwestern part of Gaza, near the abandoned “Swedish village.” The most recent image, dated April 29, shows a large fortified site at the northern end of the road, which Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom suggests could indicate plans for significant infrastructure development.
The axis of this new road, which runs from south to north, contrasts with earlier Israeli corridors in Gaza that ran east to west. It passes through the al-Mawasi area, a designated humanitarian zone where thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering due to ongoing Israeli military operations.
While the exact purpose of the construction remains unclear from the satellite images, Israel Hayom speculates that the site could be part of Israel’s plan to control the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza. This would represent an effort to bypass Hamas’s control over aid distribution, especially as Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza since March, halting the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and water.
The blockade, which has been in place since October 2023 alongside Israel’s military operations, has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Over 1.1 million residents are facing severe food insecurity, with children particularly affected by malnutrition. International organizations have condemned the blockade, citing it as a form of collective punishment that may violate international law.