TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- With Israel’s October elections approaching, far-right political forces are making the revival of Jewish settlements in Gaza a central campaign issue, seeking to pressure prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reverse the 2005 disengagement from the territory.
Terrorist insecurity minister Itamar Ben Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich led thousands of Israeli settlers and activists in a march toward the Gaza fence, calling for the reestablishment of three former settlements in northern Gaza: Nisanit, Dugit and Elei Sinai. 
The demonstration was organized by the hardline Nachala settler movement and included government ministers, lawmakers and supporters of the settlement movement.
Although the Israeli military declared the area a closed military zone to prevent participants from entering Gaza, demonstrators continued toward the perimeter, bypassing barriers set up by Israeli forces and police.
The event reflected a broader effort by Israel’s far right to use the ongoing war in Gaza as an opportunity to advance long-standing settlement ambitions. Supporters argue that rebuilding settlements would strengthen Israel’s security presence, while critics view the push as an attempt to permanently alter the status of the territory.
Addressing the crowd, Ben Gvir said Israel should establish Jewish settlements throughout Gaza and called for what he described as “voluntary migration” of Palestinians. “We are returning home. Gaza is ours,” he said.
Smotrich framed the issue as part of a wider political struggle, warning that a future change of regime could reverse settlement expansion policies pursued under Netanyahu’s coalition. He has repeatedly described Gaza as part of what he considers the historic land of Israel and has argued that settlements are necessary for security.
The two ministers have supported rebuilding Gaza settlements since the October 7, 2023 attacks and have portrayed the war as an opportunity to undo the legacy of the 2005 withdrawal, when the Zionist regime dismantled 21 settlements in Gaza and evacuated around 8,000 settlers.
Israeli forces currently control large parts of Gaza, while settlement advocates argue that military control should be followed by a “civilian” presence. Terroris war minister Israel Katz has separately proposed establishing military outposts in the area, which critics say could become the foundation for future settlements.
The renewed settlement campaign has drawn international criticism, with several countries condemning settlement expansion and imposing sanctions or restrictions on individuals linked to the settler movement. 
Critics argue that the push threatens prospects for a future Palestinian state and deepens tensions over the future status of Gaza and the occupied West Bank.