Israeli Settlers Breach Gaza Border, Raise Flag in Defiance of Military Orders
Activists from the Nachala movement entered the Strip, declaring their actions a 'first step' towards Jewish settlement, prompting swift IDF intervention and warnings against entering combat zones.
Thursday, approximately 20 Israeli settlers entered the Gaza Strip in their private vehicles. They drove several hundred meters past the border, reaching an area they called “Kfar Darom ruins.” There, they raised the Israeli flag.
The settlers, identified by Maariv newspaper as activists from the Nachala movement, stated this action marked “a first step towards Jewish settlement in Gaza.”
A statement from the Nachala movement confirmed the flag raising. “At this very moment, the flag of Israel was raised in Gaza by families and activists of the Nachala movement’s settlement core,” the statement read. It continued, “Two years after the October 8 massacre and the war that followed, this is a sharp and clear message: Gaza belongs only to the people of Israel, and will not be handed over to the Americans or any other foreign entity.”
The Israeli Army Spokesperson confirmed the initial breach. “Shortly before, a number of Israeli citizens crossed the border from Israeli territory into the Gaza Strip,” the spokesperson stated. IDF reconnaissance units maintained constant surveillance over the citizens. Army forces in the area quickly responded, returning the individuals to Israeli territory.
Later, dozens more Israeli citizens attempted to cross the security fence at a different location. Some individuals successfully breached the barrier, entering the buffer zone between Israeli territory and the Gaza Strip. IDF and police forces immediately rushed to the scene, preventing them from crossing further into Gaza. The IDF emphasized, “Any entry into a combat zone is prohibited, endangers citizens, and hinders the activity of IDF forces in the area.”
About a week ago, leaders of Likud party branches, in collaboration with the Nachala movement, pressured Defense Minister Yisrael Katz. They demanded permission to raise the Israeli flag during Hanukkah over the ruins of “Nisanit” in northern Gaza. Nisanit was evacuated as part of the 2005 disengagement plan.
Later, several Knesset members and ministers also approached Minister Katz. They expressed their support for the initiative. However, Knesset members who discussed the matter with the Defense Ministry received a clear message: taking responsibility for such an event would be difficult. The Ministry cited the area’s designation as a closed military zone. Learn more about settler movements in the region.
Last week, nine Jewish individuals infiltrated the Gaza Strip. They breached the fence and advanced several hundred meters deep, stopping before the “Yellow Line.” They remained inside for approximately one hour. The IDF eventually removed them from the area using flares.
