Return of Gazan Workers Near Israel Border Raises Security Concerns

Photographs of Gazan workers operating near Israel’s border under the watchful eyes of IDF tanks and soldiers have sparked concern about security implications. According to a report by Israel’s Channel 14, these workers were seen performing infrastructure tasks within the IDF-designated security buffer zone.

The presence of Gazan laborers so close to the border has drawn criticism from military experts. Israeli Air Force Col. (res.) Meir Most cautioned against normalizing such activities, urging that any necessary construction work be carried out by Israeli contractors to maintain security.

In a related development, Palestinian farmers were permitted to return to fields just meters from the security fence of Carmel, a settlement in the Hebron Hills, for the first time since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre. The decision faced backlash from local residents, who argued that it compromised security.

Eliram Azulay, head of the Hebron Hills Regional Council, criticized the High Court of Justice’s ruling to allow Palestinians access near the community’s security barrier. Azulay urged Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish protective zones around Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and to dismantle all illegal Palestinian structures near these areas.

Security concerns have been further heightened by a report from Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria), which documented over 6,300 attacks on Jews in Judea and Samaria throughout 2024. The report, verified against data from Israel’s security services, detailed 3,668 rock-throwing incidents, 843 Molotov cocktail attacks, 526 explosive charges, and 179 terrorist shootings.

These events have fueled debates on how to balance necessary agricultural and infrastructure work with maintaining security. The Israeli government faces the challenge of ensuring safety while navigating legal rulings and community concerns.

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