Israeli ministers join march to Gaza to demand return of settlements

A march took place near the Gaza border on Sunday, organized by Nachala, a settler advocacy group, to push for the reconstruction of three Israeli settlements—Elei Sinai, Dugit, and Nisanit—that were evacuated when Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The event drew significant political participation, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and more than two dozen other ministers and legislators in attendance. The Israeli military had designated the area a closed military zone for 24 hours and imposed route restrictions, citing concerns that some participants intended to cross the border fence into Gaza.

The march represented a notable shift in Israeli political discourse, with calls to resettle Gaza moving from fringe positions into mainstream debate. Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party was listed as a rally sponsor, despite Netanyahu's stated position that Gaza will not be resettled. Nachala, led by Daniella Weiss, claimed the event attracted more than 10,000 participants, though Israeli media estimates placed the crowd at several hundred. Some marchers circumvented checkpoints through nearby hillsides to reach the border fence.

Participants carried banners reading "returning home after 21 years" and demanded reconstruction efforts. Ben-Gvir posted video content from the march with the caption "Gaza is ours," while Smotrich urged Israelis not to miss what he characterized as a "historic opportunity" to rebuild settlements. Both ministers have faced sanctions from several European countries. The event follows an earlier December incident in which Nachala activists briefly crossed into Gaza and planted an Israeli flag before being returned by soldiers.