Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wants to build new Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Image: keystone
July 19, 2026, 12:38 p.mJuly 19, 2026, 12:38 p.m
The Israeli army says it has declared an area around the Gaza Strip a military exclusion zone to prevent a planned march by right-wing extremist and right-wing ministers, MPs and their supporters into Palestinian territory. The goal of the right-wing groups is to build new Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip.
According to information from the Times of Israel, eight ministers wanted to take part in the march, including the right-wing extremist Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich had already declared in March that preparations for three Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip had been completed. He then unsuccessfully asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to implement the plans. Israel’s politicians are currently in the midst of an election campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of October.
The right-wing extremist Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also wanted to take part in the march. Image: keystone
Smotrich’s plan is in direct contrast to Trump’s peace plan
Smotrich’s settlement plan would be in fundamental contrast to US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. This provides for a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip. According to various Israeli statements, the army occupies 65 to 70 percent of the small Palestinian territory with around two million inhabitants.
The military has imposed the exclusion zone until Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time (7:00 a.m. CEST). According to information from the Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, the start of the “March of Thousands” was scheduled for Sunday at 5:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. CEST). The responsible settler organization Nachala gave it the motto “Return home after 21 years.” This refers to the year 2005, when Israel cleared all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and evacuated around 9,000 settlers as part of the so-called disengagement plan.
The radical settler group Nachala advocates, among other things, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the construction of new, illegal outposts. Under international law, these settlements and outposts are considered illegal. (sda/dpa)