Ankara: Israel is 'closer than ever' to reoccupying the Gaza Strip and rebuilding settlements there, according to far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Speaking at a conference in Yad Binyamin, central Israel, Smotrich expressed intentions to rebuild Gush Katif, a bloc of 21 settlements in southern Gaza that was dismantled under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's 2005 disengagement plan. This plan also included the evacuation of four settlements in the northern West Bank.
According to Anadolu Agency, Smotrich emphasized the need for settlements and military presence for ensuring security, stating, 'Where there are no settlements, there is no army; and where there is no army, there is no security.' He also described Gaza as 'an inseparable part of the Land of Israel,' advocating for a more expansive return than prior to 2005.
Smotrich's remarks coincided with a report from the Israeli daily Haaretz, which revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had presented the Security Cabinet with a plan to seize parts of Gaza in stages. This move is reportedly aimed at preventing Smotrich from resigning over accusations that Israel allowed humanitarian aid into the enclave. The plan suggests that Hamas would have several days to agree to a ceasefire or face an Israeli takeover of parts of Gaza until the group surrendered. The proposal has reportedly received backing from the US administration.
The Israeli army has rejected international calls for a ceasefire and has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The continuous bombardment has led to severe devastation and a hunger crisis in the enclave.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the dismantling of the healthcare system. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.