US, Israel working to set up safe zone in part of IDF-controlled Gaza where civilians fearing Hamas can flee

The United States is working with Israel to set up a safe zone inside the areas of Gaza still controlled by the IDF to which Palestinian civilians fearing Hamas retribution can flee.

The initiative is part of the US response to the summary executions that Hamas has carried out since the ceasefire came into place last week against dozens of Palestinians from rival gangs and those it has accused of collaborating against Israel. US President Donald Trump initially justified the executions, arguing that the victims were members of “very bad gangs,” but he has since softened his stance slightly and said he’s looking into the matter further. The commander of US forces in the Middle East has taken a harder line, issuing a statement demanding that Hamas cease its targeting of “innocent Palestinian civilians.”

Commenting on the issue during a briefing with reporters, a senior Trump adviser says, “The US working with Israel to try and create some space in the safe zone behind the Yellow Line for people who feel [under] threat to be able to go to so.”

The Yellow Line is the boundary inside Gaza to which the IDF pulled back upon the implementation of the ceasefire, reducing its control over Gaza slightly to 53% of the territory.

“This is in response to the reports we’ve been seeing of Hamas executing rivals,” the senior Trump adviser says, hailing Israel’s willingness to cooperate with the effort.

Israel is “making a big effort to try to embrace and protect and help those who want live peacefully side by side and who are renouncing Hamas and wanting to choose a different path,” he adds.

No timeline was given for when it will be implemented, and Israel has yet to confirm that it is on board.