Israel opens new Gaza security corridor that splits Khan Younis

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday the creation of a 15-kilometre-long security corridor in the southern Gaza Strip that effectively splits the city of Khan Younis into two.

Drone footage released by the military shows the so-called Magen Oz Corridor bisecting the area into eastern and western halves.

Khan Younis, the second-largest city in Gaza, has been a central battleground in recent months.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the new corridor as a "key component in applying pressure on Hamas," with the stated goal of achieving the "decisive defeat" of the Islamist militants entrenched in the area.

The Magen Oz Corridor connects in the south to the existing Morag Corridor, which separates Khan Younis from Rafah, a city near the Egyptian border. Together, the corridors form a strategic network of Israeli control lines through the Palestinian territory.

Leverage in talks?

The Israeli news site Ynet speculated that the new corridor could serve as a bargaining chip in ongoing negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that physically dividing the Gaza Strip enhances leverage over Hamas and that such tactics will continue until all hostages are released.

Israel is said to be insisting that its military forces remain in the south of Gaza even in the event of a ceasefire, and retain control over a broad zone. Hamas, by contrast, is demanding that Israeli troops withdraw to more distant positions held before the collapse of the previous truce in March.

In central Gaza, Israeli forces continue to control the Netzarim Corridor, which effectively divides the territory into northern and southern sections.