Israeli ministers lead march calling for settlements in Gaza
Israeli ministers and lawmakers led a march towards the Gaza Strip on Sunday, calling for the re-establishment of settlements in the Palestinian enclave.
Thousands joined the demonstration, organised by the Nachala settler movement under the slogan, "Returning home after 21 years", referring to Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.
Nachala said at least 28 ministers and lawmakers took part, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.
Addressing the crowd, Nachala leader Daniella Weiss said she is often asked: "What will happen to the Arabs in Gaza?"
"There will be no more Arabs in Gaza," she declared.
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Smotrich told supporters: "We erased the disgrace of the expulsion in northern Samaria, and with God's help, we will do the same here in the Gaza Strip," referring to the re-establishment of settlements in parts of the northern occupied West Bank evacuated in 2005.
Ben Gvir said, "There will be Jewish settlements in all of Gaza."
"Encourage voluntary immigration [of Palestinians to other countries], send those who need it to their countries. And we return home. Gaza is ours," he added.
“We are walking today to tell the government of Israel and show all the world that this land belongs to us”
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Israeli settlers and far right activists marched to the Gaza border on Sunday to demand the re-establishment of settlements within the borders of the Gaza strip. pic.twitter.com/lxzymtTWpM
Ahead of the march, the Israeli army declared the area along the Gaza boundary a closed military zone.
However, hundreds of participants passed army roadblocks and reached areas close to the fence separating Israel from Gaza. There were no reports of demonstrators entering the territory.
Some participants attended alone, while others came with their families, including children.
According to the Times of Israel, many wore stickers reading, "Gaza is ours forever", while others carried flags calling for the construction of a Third Temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"Thank you to the tens of thousands who came as close as possible to the Gaza border with a clear call: we are settling Gaza now!" Nachala said in a statement.
Since the genocide in Gaza began in 2023, Israeli politicians and settler groups have intensified calls to rebuild Israeli settlements in the enclave.
Nachala has previously said more than 1,000 families are "ready to actually settle in Gaza", adding that many Israelis support the return of Jewish settlements there.
Israel established 21 settlements in Gaza before withdrawing its military and dismantling the settlements in 2005.
There are also about 250 Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing an estimated 700,000 settlers.
All Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are considered illegal under international law.
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