Defense minister again vows Gaza settlements, says Israel 'de facto' annexing West Bank
Israel Katz said IDF bases and a yeshiva should be established in northern Gaza, despite a flip-flop on the issue earlier this week after a similar statement. Katz also hailed Israel's West Bank policy as 'de facto annexation' – expanding settlements while expelling Palestinians from 'terror camps'
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Israel Katz said IDF bases and a yeshiva should be established in northern Gaza, despite a flip-flop on the issue earlier this week after a similar statement. Katz also hailed Israel's West Bank policy as 'de facto annexation' – expanding settlements while expelling Palestinians from 'terror camps'
Defense Minister Israel Katz at a ceremony in central Israel earlier this month. Credit: Moti Milrod
Defense Minister Israel Katz at a ceremony in central Israel earlier this month. Credit: Moti Milrod
02:19 PM • December 25 2025 IST
Israel will allow Jewish settlers to live in northern Gaza at some point in the future, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday, the latest promise in a recent string of seemingly contradicting statements regarding the enclave.
"In the northern part, it will be possible, in my view, to establish Garinei Nahal in an orderly manner when the time comes," he said, referring to the military service in which soldiers combine active duty with work on outlying settlements or communities.
The remarks were made at an education conference held by religious Zionist newspaper Makor Rishon. Katz promised that Israeli forces would never fully retreat from all of Gaza, and that there would be a significant buffer zone.
