And yes, this is vastly different from the IDF simply capturing territory in the strip.

Let’s explore why this move is so significant, and the motivations behind it.

While the military can simply relinquish any territory it controls, annexing parts of the strip is almost irreversible. Why? According to Israeli law, if the government wants to relinquish territory it has annexed, it has two options: the withdrawal can either be approved by 80 of the Knesset’s 120 members, or through a referendum.