Israeli ministers join march to Gaza to demand return of settlements

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli cabinet ministers and members of parliament joined a pro-settlement march toward the Gaza Strip on Sunday, July 19, 2026, calling for Jewish settlements removed in 2005 to be rebuilt. The event drew hundreds of participants near the Gaza border, according to Israeli media cited by the outlet, while the settler organization Nachala, which organized the march, claimed attendance exceeded 10,000.

The Israeli military had declared the area a closed military zone for 24 hours and restricted the march route, citing concerns that some participants could try to cross the fence into Gaza. Al Jazeera said some marchers evaded checkpoints through nearby hills, and that video verified by its unit showed dozens of Israelis at the border fence. A previous incident in December involved Nachala activists briefly crossing into Gaza and planting an Israeli flag before soldiers returned them.

Among those reported at the march were National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, along with more than two dozen ministers and legislators. The marchers used the slogan “returning home after 21 years” and called specifically for the reconstruction of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit, settlements evacuated during Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. Al Jazeera noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party was listed as a sponsor, despite Netanyahu’s stated position that Gaza will not be resettled.

The report framed the rally as evidence that proposals once associated mainly with Israel’s far right have gained wider political visibility during the war in Gaza. Al Jazeera also quoted Palestinian analyst Diana Buttu criticizing the settlement push and linking it to what she described as a lack of accountability for Israel.