Tel aviv: The Israeli army declared a military exclusion zone around the Gaza Strip on Sunday to prevent a planned march by far-right ministers, lawmakers, and their supporters into the Palestinian territory. The march aimed to establish new Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip.
According to Ghana News Agency, eight ministers were set to participate in the march, including the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich announced in March that preparations for three Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip had been completed, and he urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz to implement the plans, although they have not yet done so.
Israel is currently preparing for a parliamentary election scheduled for late October. Smotrich's settlement plan starkly contrasts with US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which proposes a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip.
Various Israeli figures indicate that the army occupies between 65% and 70% of the small Palestinian territory, home to approximately two million inhabitants. The military has imposed the exclusion zone until 8 am (0500 GMT) on Monday. Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that the 'March of Thousands' was scheduled to begin at 5 pm on Sunday.
The radical settler organization Nachala, which is behind the march, adopted the slogan 'After 21 years, returning home.' In 2005, Israel evacuated all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and relocated around 9,000 settlers as part of a disengagement plan. Nachala also advocates for expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and constructing new outposts, which are considered illegal under international law.