Key facts
- Israeli ministers and lawmakers led a march near the Gaza border on Sunday.
- The demonstration called for the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.
- Thousands of people participated in the march organized by the Nachala settler movement.
- Key figures including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attended.
- Speakers expressed intentions for Jewish settlement and the removal of Palestinian Arabs from Gaza.
Israeli ministers and lawmakers led a march towards the Gaza Strip on Sunday, advocating for the re-establishment of settlements in the Palestinian territory. Thousands joined the demonstration, organized by the Nachala settler movement, under the slogan 'Returning home after 21 years,' referencing Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.
Notable attendees included Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Nachala leader Daniella Weiss declared, 'There will be no more Arabs in Gaza.' Smotrich invoked the re-establishment of settlements in the northern occupied West Bank, stating, 'with God's help, we will do the same here in the Gaza Strip.' Ben Gvir added, 'There will be Jewish settlements in all of Gaza,' and encouraged 'voluntary immigration' of Palestinians.
The Israeli army had declared the area along the Gaza boundary a closed military zone, but hundreds of participants bypassed roadblocks to reach areas near the separation fence. Many participants wore stickers reading 'Gaza is ours forever.' Nachala stated that over 1,000 families are prepared to settle in Gaza. Israel previously established 21 settlements in Gaza before dismantling them in 2005. Currently, there are approximately 250 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing an estimated 700,000 settlers, which are considered illegal under international law.