Thousands of Israelis gathered near the Gaza border on Sunday to demand the return of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory. The demonstration brought together settlers and right wing activists who urged the government to allow Israelis to live in Gaza again. The rally took place close to the northern part of the border, where security forces prevented participants from entering restricted areas overlooking the Gaza Strip.
Protesters carried Israeli flags and marched towards the border fence while chanting in support of rebuilding Jewish communities in Gaza. Soldiers and police stopped the crowd before they could move any closer to the border. The event was one of several demonstrations organised in recent years by groups seeking to reverse Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from the territory.
One of the participants, Daniel Sellem, said the purpose of the march was to send a clear message to both the Israeli government and the international community that Gaza should once again include Israeli settlements. He said he believes the territory belongs to Israel and argued that Jewish families should be allowed to return after being evacuated more than two decades ago.
Sellem explained that the protest was intended to increase pressure on the government to approve the re establishment of settlements. He expressed hope that the campaign would succeed and that Israelis would eventually be able to live in Gaza again. According to him, the removal of settlements in 2005 should not be considered permanent.
Another demonstrator, Yechiel Greenblum, described the march as the beginning of what he expects to become a larger movement. He said Jewish communities had lived in Gaza for many years in the past and argued there was no reason they should not return. Greenblum also claimed that the withdrawal carried out in 2005 was only temporary and said supporters of the movement remain determined to continue their efforts.
The latest demonstration reflects growing pressure from some political and religious groups within Israel that support expanding Israeli communities beyond the country’s internationally recognised borders. Similar rallies have been organised in the past with the aim of influencing the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose administration is widely regarded as one of the most right wing in Israel’s history.
The issue remains highly controversial both inside Israel and internationally. Israel removed all settlements from Gaza under its disengagement plan in 2005, ending its permanent civilian presence in the territory. Since then, Gaza has remained at the centre of repeated conflicts between Israel and Hamas, with the latest war causing widespread destruction and displacement across the coastal enclave.
Large parts of Gaza have been left severely damaged after more than two years of fighting, making many areas unfit for normal life. Although a ceasefire is currently in place, violence continues to occur on a regular basis. Israeli forces are reported to control more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, while the humanitarian situation remains difficult for many Palestinians living there.
The march highlights the deep divisions surrounding Gaza’s future and the ongoing debate over whether Israeli settlements should ever return to the territory. While supporters see the campaign as restoring communities they believe have historical ties to the land, critics argue that such proposals would further complicate efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.
