GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israel has begun the third and final phase of a massive barrier along its border with Gaza. On Feb. 3, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted, “Over the weekend, we began building the above-ground barrier along the Gaza border. The barrier will prevent terrorists from Gaza from penetrating into our territory on the ground.” He added, “If the quiet is not maintained in Gaza, we will not hesitate to act.”
The galvanized steel wall will be 40 miles long and 20 feet high when completed, which, it is estimated, will be by the end of the year. Its primary purpose is to prevent Palestinians from tunneling under the border and into Israel to launch attacks.
The first phase began in 2016, with workers digging to install the underground portion of the barrier. An Israeli military official told the New Arab that the metal-reinforced cement wall is about one meter thick, but declined to say how deep it runs. Estimates of the depth have varied, with one Israeli official being quoted as saying it's “deep enough.” Motion sensors will be installed to detect any attempts at tunneling.
The second phase got underway in May 2018 and ended last month. That portion consisted of building a sea barrier at the Ashkelon extending 656 feet out into the Mediterranean and 20 feet above the water.
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