Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich Pushes for Three New Settlements in Northern Gaza

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the Defense Ministry’s Settlement Authority has finished staff work to establish three new Israeli communities in the northern Gaza Strip and is ready to proceed as soon as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu grants approval. Speaking with Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi, Smotrich argued that a line of Jewish settlements would serve as a security belt for border towns, noting that the Israel Defense Forces now control about 70 % of Gaza and that “where there is no settlement, there is no security.”

He urged the prime minister to “grant the approval, let’s finish the mission and restore real security to the residents of the south.” The proposal marks a shift from earlier post‑war frameworks backed by the United States, which oppose civilian resettlement in Gaza and favor reconstruction under international oversight. Smotrich’s plan follows his recent approval of new housing projects in the West Bank and comes amid ongoing debates over Israel’s long‑term presence in the Gaza envelope.