Israeli ministers join settler march to Gaza demanding return of settlements

March defies military closure

On Sunday, 19 July 2026, thousands of Israelis marched toward the Gaza border in a rally organised by the settler group Nachala, demanding the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian enclave. The Israeli army had declared the surrounding area a closed military zone until Monday 8:00 a.m. local time, and revoked the march's authorisation minutes before it began. Despite the order, participants bypassed police checkpoints through nearby hillsides and advanced on foot to the border fence. Video verified by Al Jazeera showed dozens gathered at the barrier.

Ministers and settlers demand return

The march, branded the "March of Thousands," drew 28 ministers and parliamentarians, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also oversees settlement affairs, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Both have been sanctioned by several European countries. The crowd chanted "the time has come for the return of Jewish settlements," according to Channel 12. Nachala claimed over 10,000 attended, though Israeli media estimated a few hundred.

Gaza is ours.

Smotrich urged Israelis not to miss a "historic opportunity" to rebuild settlements. The slogan "After 21 years, returning home" referenced the 2005 withdrawal, when Israel evacuated 21 settlements and roughly 9,000 settlers from Gaza.

Broader push for resettlement

The march is the latest sign that calls to resettle Gaza have moved from the political margins into the mainstream. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party was listed among the rally's sponsors, even though Netanyahu has insisted Gaza will not be resettled. Defence Minister Israel Katz recently announced plans for three Nahal outposts in northern Gaza, telling Channel 14 that destroying Gaza was a "conscious policy" to remove the threat.

A very good feeling.

In March, Smotrich said groundwork for three settlements in the North Gaza area was complete. The push stands in direct opposition to US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which envisions a phased Israeli military withdrawal from the territory, where the army currently occupies 65 to 70 percent of the strip.

Ongoing violence and fragile ceasefire

The march unfolded against a backdrop of continued Israeli strikes. On Saturday, 10 people were killed, including three minors, and three more on Sunday, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. In nine months of a fragile ceasefire, 1,444 Gazans have been killed. The truce is overseen by the Peace Junta chaired by Trump, but the body has remained silent, EL País reported.

International law and opposition

All settlements on occupied land are illegal under international law. Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu told Al Jazeera that Israel's settlement drive has been enabled by a lack of accountability.

Because Israel has never been punished for its crimes, it's only natural that a country that commits genocide and ethnic cleansing feels emboldened to steal more land.

Former Israeli diplomat Alon Liel said the settler movement's ideology is to remove Gazans and settle the strip as they have in the West Bank. Nachala leader Daniella Weiss, sanctioned by the EU, Canada, and the UK, has said Palestinians would "disappear" from the territory.