MK, Israeli civilians enter Gaza, call for Jewish rule

Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech and dozens of activists from the Nachala Settlement Movement entered the Gaza Strip on Thursday night, against military orders.

Soldiers “who were dispatched to the scene apprehended the individuals and returned them safely to Israeli territory,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

“The civilians were transferred for further handling by Israel Police,” the army said, adding that “throughout the entire incident, the civilians were being followed by IDF surveillance.”

“The IDF strongly condemns the civilian crossings into the Gaza Strip, as they endanger the civilians and the IDF soldiers in the area,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

The lawmaker from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party said after the incident that it was a privilege, “with thanks to the Lord, blessed be He, to enter the land of Gaza, together with the Nachala Movement and dozens more families, women, men and children.”

She further tweeted, “Gaza is ours forever. This is the only way to ensure victory and true security for the people of Israel.”

The MK and other Israeli civilians who entered the Strip posted images of themselves planting trees as a symbol of settling the land.

The group tweeted that after planting the trees, dancing and lifting the Israeli flag, the activists independently left the area.

In a separate tweet, the Nachala Movement wrote, “There are those who dare to think that peace in Gaza will come about through the entry of soldiers from Indonesia, Morocco, Turkey and Egypt. ... We know the truth—peace will only come when Gaza is Jewish. In Gaza there will only be Jewish rule!”