Israeli ministers call for reoccupation of the Gaza Strip and encourage voluntary migration

Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Shlomo Karhi reaffirm their support for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip and promoting “voluntary migration” of Palestinians

Reiterating their support for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip and promoting the “voluntary migration” of Palestinians from the enclave, two Israeli ministers have stirred up debate on Tuesday.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said during a march in Sderot close to the Gaza Strip border, “First, we must return to Gaza now! We are coming home! To the holy land!” Ben-Gvir’s views were reiterated by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who underlined the necessity of resettling Gaza with Israeli settlers and security personnel

Among the well-known participants in the march was far-right Religious Zionist Party Knesset member Zvi Sukkot. The march fell on the anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948, known to Palestinians as the Nakba, or Catastrophe in Arabic.

“For preserving the security achievements that our soldiers lost their lives for, we must resettle Gaza with security forces and settlers that will embrace the land with love,” said Karhi, a leader of Netanyahu’s Likud Party.

He underlined again that this strategy is required to safeguard the country and the nation as well as to oppose the activities of Hamas, whom he called “Hamas Nazis.”

The call for reoccupation and support of migration coincides with rising hostilities in the area. Following a cross-border raid by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of almost 1,200 people, Israel has stepped up its military operations in the Gaza Strip. Since then, according to Palestinian health officials, over 79,000 Palestinians have been injured and at least 35,180 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have died.

Wide tracts of Gaza have been devastated by the continuing fighting, which has been made worse by a punishing siege that has severely restricted access to food, clean water, and medical supplies. International attention has been focused on the issue; the International Court of Justice has accused Israel of genocide.

The court ordered Israel to stop its acts and make sure that humanitarian aid is provided to Gazan residents in an interim decision made in January, finding it “plausible” that Israel is carrying out genocide there. 

Source: AA