Israeli ministers join march to Gaza to demand return of settlements | Gaza News
Hundreds March Towards Gaza to Advocate for Settlement Reconstruction
Published on July 19, 2026
JERUSALEM — A march organized by Israeli cabinet members and parliamentarians towards Gaza took place on Sunday, with participants advocating for the reconstruction of Jewish settlements in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The march defied a last-minute military order that restricted access to the area due to concerns that some participants intended to breach the border fence into Gaza.
This event marks a significant shift, as discussions about resettling Gaza have increasingly entered mainstream Israeli political discourse. Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assurances that Gaza would not be resettled, his Likud party was listed as a sponsor of the rally.
Prior to the march, the Israeli military designated the area surrounding Gaza a closed military zone for 24 hours to prevent marchers from crossing into Palestinian territory.
The settler organization Nachala, which organized the rally, referred to it as the “March of Thousands,” claiming over 10,000 attendees, while Israeli media estimates suggested the crowd numbered in the hundreds. Daniella Weiss leads Nachala and has long promoted the resettlement of Gaza. During a Likud party conference, she stated that Palestinians would “disappear” from the territory.
Some participants circumvented military checkpoints using nearby hillsides to reach the Gaza border. Verifiable video evidence showed a gathering of Israelis at the border fence.
Among the attendees were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement affairs, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and more than two dozen other ministers and legislators, according to Israeli media. Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have faced sanctions from several European nations.
The marchers proclaimed, “returning home after 21 years,” and called for the reconstruction of the settlements of Elei Sinai, Dugit, and Nisanit, which were evacuated during Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.
Ben-Gvir shared a video from the event on social media, declaring, “Gaza is ours,” while Smotrich urged Israelis to seize what he termed a “historic opportunity” to rebuild settlements in Gaza.
In response to the settlement drive, Palestinian lawyer and analyst Diana Buttu criticized the lack of accountability for Israel’s actions, stating, “Because Israel has never been punished for its crimes, it’s only natural that a country that commits genocide and ethnic cleansing feels emboldened to steal more land.”
In December, members of Nachala briefly crossed into Gaza to plant an Israeli flag before being returned to Israeli territory by soldiers.
