Gaza city: The Israeli army announced the closure of Al-Rasheed coastal road on Wednesday, a critical route connecting southern and northern Gaza, to prevent the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern part of the region. The closure will take effect from noon, with only southward movement permitted for those still located in Gaza City, as stated by Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee on the social media platform X.

According to Namibia Press Agency, this decision has prevented Palestinians who had fled to southern Gaza from returning to the north. The Israeli forces have frequently restricted access to this route since October 2023, which has contributed to the humanitarian crisis in the northern part of the coastal enclave. Although briefly reopened in January 2025 during a fragile ceasefire, the road's closure has once again isolated northern Gaza.

The decision to shut down the route comes amidst an intensified ground offensive by the Israeli army in Gaza City, which began in September. The offensive aims at targeting Hamas fighters and freeing the remaining Israeli hostages. Tanks have advanced into several neighborhoods, with the army describing the situation as the heaviest fighting since the offensive commenced.

The United Nations has estimated that 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced multiple times since the conflict's onset. Humanitarian organizations have raised concerns that the latest closure will further isolate northern Gaza and pose significant challenges to aid delivery.