"We are deep inside Gaza and will never leave the entire area. That will never happen. We are there to protect and prevent what happened before," Israel's defense minister Israel Katz said today, referring to the Hamas attack on the country in 7/2023.
The statement contradicts commitments in the US-backed peace plan, as well as positions repeatedly affirmed by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously. According to the peace plan signed by Israel and Hamas in october, Israeli troops would withdraw gradually and end their presence in the Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv would also not establish civilian settlements in the territory.
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Israeli military vehicles move through the Shijaiya area, part of Gaza City in the north, on 5/11. Photo: AP |
Israeli military vehicles move through the Shijaiya area, part of Gaza City in the north, on 5/11. Photo: AP
Regarding Gaza's future, minister Katz affirmed Israel would build Nahal units in northern Gaza at the appropriate time, replacing Jewish settlement communities that were disbanded when Israel withdrew from the territory in 2005.
Nahal is a paramilitary unit model for citizens aspiring to enlist. The program typically lasts one year, including military reserve training and volunteer activities before citizens serve in the military. The model plays a significant role in forming Jewish settlement communities.
The statement was made at a ceremony in the Israeli-controlled Beit El settlement in the West Bank, where prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration recently announced plans to build 1,200 new homes for Jewish residents on the site of a soon-to-be-closed Israeli military base.
Hamas officials have not commented on the information.
Minister Katz's statements have also sparked internal debate in Israel. Former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot criticized the government for "going against national consensus" during a sensitive security period.
Israel is expected to hold elections in 2026. The Gaza Strip issue and settlements are expected to become key topics in upcoming election campaigns.
By Thanh Danh (According to AFP, Reuters, Times of Israel)
