GHLands : Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said on Wednesday that the Israeli government's ultimate objective is to regain control of the Gaza Strip and re-establish Israeli settlements there, describing the issue as part of ongoing political discussions.
According to Israel's public broadcaster, Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, stated that "our ultimate goal is to restore control over Gaza, including the establishment of settlements."
He added that while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet formally placed the issue on the government's agenda, it remains under discussion. "In the Middle East, public opinion understands this language," he said.
The Jewish Power party, led by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has repeatedly advocated for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, the construction of Israeli settlements there, and the displacement of Palestinians.
Israel occupied the Gaza Strip during the June 1967 war and maintained settlements in the territory until implementing its 2005 disengagement plan, which involved evacuating all Israeli settlements and withdrawing settlers from Gaza.
Under international law, the Gaza Strip remains part of the occupied Palestinian territory. The establishment of settlements in occupied territory is widely regarded as illegal under international law and in violation of relevant international legal frameworks and United Nations resolutions.
The renewed calls came days after thousands of Israeli settlers, accompanied by several government ministers, including Ben-Gvir, held a demonstration near the Gaza border on Sunday, urging the government to rebuild settlements inside the enclave.
These positions stand in contrast to the proposal put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump, which calls for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip while rejecting both the occupation of the territory and the forced displacement of its Palestinian population.
The proposal states that no one should be compelled to leave Gaza and that those who choose to depart should be free to do so while retaining the right to return. It also emphasizes encouraging residents to remain and participate in rebuilding the territory. The plan further stipulates that Israel would neither occupy nor annex Gaza and that Israeli forces would withdraw according to an agreed timetable and defined benchmarks.
Despite the ceasefire agreement announced in October 2025, Israel has continued military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian sources, these operations have resulted in daily casualties, continued restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance, and an expansion of Israeli-controlled areas from approximately 53 percent of the territory under the ceasefire arrangements to around 70 percent.
Since the outbreak of the war, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 173,000 injured, according to Palestinian figures, while roughly 90 percent of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.
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