At a ceremony this week in Beit El, a West Bank settlement, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the country will never fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip or Syria. Rejecting past disengagement plans, Katz outlined new proposals to establish Nahal settlement groups in northern Gaza, a model that uses military-backed nuclei poised to grow into civilian communities.
"We are deep inside Gaza and will never leave all of Gaza, there will be no such thing," Katz said, framing the move as a continuation of efforts begun under the 2005 disengagement plan, when Israel evacuated its settlers from the Gaza Strip.
Katz did not offer a specific timeline, noting that the settlements would be set up "in the right way, at the right time." He emphasized that new outposts would replace those dismantled two decades ago, signaling a long-term strategy rather than a rapid escalation.
This announcement comes against the backdrop of a ceasefire that took effect on October 10 this year, yet saw near-daily Israeli operations in Gaza, including airstrikes and the demolition of structures in areas where Israeli troops remain deployed. Humanitarian groups warn that extending military and civilian footprints could further complicate relief efforts for more than two million Gaza Strip residents.
On Syria, Katz dismissed U.S.-brokered talks aimed at a diplomatic settlement. "We don't trust anyone … no agreement," he said, insisting Israel will not budge "even by a millimeter" in the buffer zone it moved into in December 2024, including control of the strategic Mount Hermon peak.
Experts say Katz's stance reflects a broader shift in Israeli defense policy, merging security objectives with settlement expansion. For young global citizens and tech entrepreneurs, the move raises questions about regional stability, investment risks, and future travel corridors. Advocates for human rights and sustainability are closely watching how these plans may reshape the humanitarian landscape in the Gaza Strip.
As tensions simmer, the international community remains divided on how to engage with these developments, leaving the future of the Gaza Strip and southern Syria uncertain.
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Israeli defense minister says Israel will not fully withdraw from Gaza
cgtn.com
