Netzarim Junction
{{Short description|Road intersection in the Gaza Strip}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Expand Hebrew}}
{{Infobox road junction
|name= Netzarim Junction
|maint=
|image=Netzarim junction map.png
|image_caption=A map of the junction
|location= {{flagicon|Palestine}} Gaza Strip
|coord= {{coord|31|28|10.6|N|34|25|53.5|E|type:landmark_region:PS|display=inline,title}}
|roads= Route 749 (Netzarim Corridor)
Salah al-Din Road
|type= Road intersection
|const=
|opened=
}}
The Netzarim Junction is a road intersection in the central part of the Gaza Strip. It is formed by the intersection of Route 749 (running east-west, built by the IDF) within the Netzarim Corridor with Salah al-Din Road (running north-south, and one of the Gaza Strip's two main such roads).{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Richard Allen |date=2024-03-08 |title=Israeli road splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, satellite imagery shows |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/middleeast/israel-building-road-splitting-gaza-cmd-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=CNN |language=en}} It was named after the former Israeli settlement of Netzarim.
On November 12, 1994, the Netzarim Junction bicycle bombing occurred.{{Cite news |last=Haberman |first=Clyde |date=13 November 1994 |title=Palestinians Arrest 100 Islamic Militants After Bicycle Bombing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/13/world/palestinians-arrest-100-islamic-militants-after-bicycle-bombing.html}} This killed three soldiers, six Israeli servicemen, and six Palestinians. In response, the Palestinian police cracked down and arrested over 100 Islamic militants.
On September 30, 2000, the killing of Muhammad al-Durrah occurred at the junction.{{Cite news |last=Orme Jr. |first=William A. |date=2 October 2000 |title=A Young Symbol of Mideast Violence |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/02/world/a-young-symbol-of-mideast-violence.html |work=New York Times}} However, Richard Landes, writing for Tablet, suggests that the incident was staged.{{Cite news |last=Landes |first=Richard |date=3 October 2018 |title=Netzarim Junction and the Birth of Fake News |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/netzarim-junction-and-the-birth-of-fake-news |work=Tablet}}
In August 2024, amidst the ongoing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, Israel proposed adding an inspection mechanism to the junction, which the United States rejected.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-17 |title=US rejects Israeli proposal for inspection mechanism at Gaza’s Netzarim Junction: Report |url=https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/644890/World/US-rejects-Israeli-proposal-for-inspection-mechanism-at-Gazas-Netzarim-Junction-Report |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Saudigazette |language=English}}
The junction, as well as all of Salah al-Din Road, was closed by Israeli tanks in March 2025.{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Indo-Asian News |date=2025-03-23 |title=Israel to resume train traffic near Gaza today |url=https://www.siasat.com/israel-to-resume-train-traffic-near-gaza-today-3198306/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en}}