Israeli minister announces Gaza settlement plans

Israel Katz, the Israeli Defence Minister, has announced plans to construct settlements in northern Gaza, despite this being illegal under international law, as reported by the Middle East Eye and agencies on December 23rd.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the construction of 1,200 housing units in the West Bank on December 23rd, Katz stated that Israel would construct Nahal settlements in northern Gaza “when the time is right.”

Nahal settlements refer to settlements established by Israeli soldiers. Historically, Haredi Jews have been exempt from conscription into the Israeli army; however, Israel’s High Court ruled in June 2024 that the government was obliged to conscript Haredi men.

Although settlement expansion is widely regarded as illegal under international law, the Israeli government has increasingly sought to construct more outposts in the occupied Palestinian territories, where an estimated 700,000 Israelis currently reside.

On December 24th, it was reported that 11 new West Bank settlements had been established, while the government was also expected to recognise and legalise eight pre-existing outposts and neighbourhoods, which are presently regarded as illegal under Israeli law.

During December, at least two groups of Israeli settlers have breached the Gaza border in an attempt to establish settlement outposts in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

One group entered Gaza, north of the Beit Lahia, where they set up tents and planted an olive tree. The breach occurred within the yellow line, which represents the area of Gaza under Israeli occupation.

The far-right Nachala settler movement has claimed that over 1,000 families are currently “ready to actually settle in Gaza“, adding that “[t]he public is ready, the families are ready, and the area is ready. Now, a decision and immediate progress on the ground are required.”

Gaza has been subjected to a land, sea and air blockade by Israel since 2007, which led to shortages of essential resources, such as electricity and food supplies.

In 2019, around two-thirds of households were estimated to be food insecure, and the already dire conditions have deteriorated further amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 people since October 2023.

Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org