A tense incident near the Gaza border last week has renewed IDF concerns over growing misidentifications along the “yellow line,” the boundary marking Israeli‑controlled areas of Gaza, Ynet reported.

A Gazan terrorist, unarmed and dressed as a civilian, managed to approach within roughly 150 meters (500 feet) of an IDF post. Some soldiers initially assumed he was one of the dozens of Arab-Israeli laborers employed by the Defense Ministry for construction work in the area—a practice officers warn is leading to growing confusion and security risks.

A unit, led by an officer, mobilized and surrounded the terrorist, who surrendered after raising his hands and lifting his shirt to show he was unarmed.

Such encounters have become increasingly common along the yellow line, underscoring the growing complexity on the border during the “ceasefire.” There have already been incidents of misidentifications during the war, some of which ended with the deaths of workers mistakenly targeted as terrorists.

Apart from the risks to the laborers themselves, IDF officers have repeatedly warned about the intelligence risks posed by the Arab-Israelis building army positions and paving roads at the yellow line and in the buffer zone. The workers, moving freely in civilian clothing near sensitive positions, are exposed to operational details and weapons storage areas.

“This is not about racism, and the background checks they supposedly undergo are not reassuring,” Gaza Division officers said. “There is a desire to save on military manpower, even though some of these workers, including members of the Bedouin community in the Negev, have relatives inside the Gaza Strip. We try to limit them to certain areas of the outposts, but it is a complex problem that is difficult to control.”

Meanwhile, Hamas—still firmly in control of Gaza—is rebuilding at an alarming pace. In recent months, the organization has focused on three main efforts: reasserting dominance in Gaza and eliminating rivals from clans aligned with Israel, rebuilding its military capabilities through training and weapons production, and applying pressure on IDF forces.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)