IDF approves removal of protective measures from Ashkelon-Sderot train route, allowing full service to resume

Following a fresh assessment, the IDF says it has approved the removal of “protective railcars” that had been positioned along the Ashkelon–Sderot railway line to protect against anti-tank fire from the Gaza Strip.

“The removal of these protective railcars, which are stationed on one of the tracks, will enable the full reopening of the train line,” the military says.

The military says the move, in coordination with Israel Railways, was made possible “following significant operational activity carried out by IDF troops” in the northern Gaza Strip area, and “after a comprehensive operational review conducted in recent weeks.”

“The IDF regards the railway as a vital national and strategic infrastructure for the State of Israel and a key component in the rehabilitation of the western Negev. Therefore, every effort was made in order to enable its reopening in the safest and most efficient manner possible,” the army adds.

The Ashkelon-Sderot train line reopened on February 1, nearly two years after the vital route was scrapped amid persistent rocket fire from Gaza.

The Sderot train station was shuttered in May 2023 due to security concerns, and its reopening was delayed after it sustained rocket damage during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.

When the station reopened in March 2024, amid the gradual return of evacuated residents, northbound lines were not renewed, due to their proximity to Gaza.