The Israelis who campaign to occupy Gaza

In Israel, a small but determined movement has emerged in the aftermath of the October 7th terror attacks calling for the return of Jewish settlements to Gaza. Some cite security, others ideology. Their demands have been echoed by two far-right ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir who said there should be a return to Gush Katif - the largest block of settlements Israel maintained in Gaza until Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilaterally pulled out of the strip in 2005. The ministers’ statements have drawn international condemnation and Netanyahu has called the idea “unrealistic”, but his government has not yet laid out an official plan for Gaza after the war.