Nachala settlers calling for illegal Jewish settlements in Gaza

This Hanukkah, colonial Zionist settlers from the Nachala movement broke through the Gaza border, and raised the ‘Israeli’ occupation flags. They said the move was a symbolic first step towards establishing a settlement in Gaza.

בימי הגלות החשוכים ימי קושי וצער ארצינו חיכתה לרגע הזה! אנחנו זוכים להתחבר למכבים!🕎✡️

צפו ברגעים המרגשים והמרוממים בהם הדגל שב להיות מונף בארצינו שלנו, במקומות מהם גורשנו, אנחנו שבים ומניפים את הדגל כצעד ראשון להקמת ההתיישבות על חולותיה הזהובים של עזה. 💪🏽✨

הגיע הזמן להתיישב… pic.twitter.com/tOFhdnqoqd

— נחלה – תנועה להתיישבות 🧡 (@T_Nachala) December 18, 2025

Nachala movement settlers calling for reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza

The two groups of illegal settlers who broke through the barrier into Gaza, were from the Nachala settler movement. They raised Israeli flags near two former illegal Jewish settlements, and called for the reestablishment of Jewish communities in the enclave.

In 2005, all 21 settlements in Gaza were dismantled and, within a week, the Israeli occupation forces and roughly 8000 illegal settlers were removed from the Strip. This ended a 38 year continuous military presence in the enclave. The ‘Israeli’ government offered compensation to settlers once they left Gaza. Once the settlements were evacuated, they were demolished, and all military installations were removed.

The Israeli occupation’s unilateral Disengagement Plan, was mainly due to security challenges, economic costs, and international pressure. It involved no peace negotiations with the Palestinians, and was instead intended to “freeze the peace process” indefinitely. It also allowed Israel to consolidate its hold on larger, strategically important settlement blocs in the West Bank.

Aim is to settle two million Jews in occupied Palestine

The Nachala movement’s objective is to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, by building new Jewish settlements in both Gaza and the West Bank. It says it aims to encourage and help the Israeli occupation government with its pledge to settle two million Jews in the occupied territory.

Far-right Daniela Weiss, who is sanctioned by the UK, is co-founder and chairwoman of the Nachala organisation. At a rally on the Gaza border, Weiss told supporters the flag-raising would mark the “beginning of a new era- an era in which we return to Gaza.”

She said “Not Indonesians, not Turks, not Egyptians, not any country – only the people of Israel will rule in Gaza”.

דווקא בימים האלה צריך לומר בקול ברור את מה שברור מאליו – עזה שייכת לעם ישראל. וחייבים כבר עכשיו להתחיל ולהתיישב בעזה.
זו דרישה צודקת ונכונה הזוכה לתמיכה משמעותית מרוב גדול של הציבור במדינת ישראל.

בתמונה – חלוצי נחלה מניפים את הדגל בסמוך לכפר דרום היום. pic.twitter.com/uqAUeR4dTQ

— דניאלה וייס 🧡 Daniella Weiss (@Daniell04520035) December 18, 2025

At the same time, Bezalel Smotrich, colonial terrorist and finance minister, has approved a plan for a huge new settlement. He posted on X ‘Israel’ will establish a new colonial city of “tens of thousands of housing units”, in occupied East Jerusalem.

Smotrich claimed:

This is another step in promoting de facto sovereignty in the area, and stopping the idea of establishing an Arab state (in the West Bank).

Resettlement of Gaza and settlement building in occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law

This plan is a dangerous escalation in the settlement and annexation project, and will continue the Judaisation of Jerusalem. This means establishing Jerusalem as a predominantly Jewish capital, at the expense of Palestinian identity.

Calls to resettle Gaza and built yet more settlements, are not only about stealing Palestinian land. They are also about ethnically cleansing the Palestinian population. They stand in direct violation of international law and highlight the urgent need to hold the occupation to account.