Army broadens closed zone around Gaza ahead of prayer event by pro-settlement activists
Security sources tell media move is a precaution against possible attack on gathering, intended to mark Tisha B’av fast and raise awareness of desire to rebuild Gaza settlements
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday it was broadening a closed military zone in the border area near the Gaza Strip, following new assessments.
Though the military didn’t specify a reason, the move came as settler activists planned to reach the Gaza border in the evening to hold prayers there marking Tisha B’Av, a Jewish fast day that commemorates the Hebrew date on which the two ancient temples in Jerusalem were destroyed, centuries apart.
Organizers said they intend to hold a traditional reading of the Book of Lamentations near the entrance to the so-called Netzarim Corridor, a road that bisects Gaza and that is under Israeli control amid the ongoing war against Palestinian terror group Hamas.
There has been concerns that terrorists in Gaza may try to attack the gathering, including through possible rocket fire.
The order, signed by Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, the chief of the IDF Southern Command, added several areas on the Gaza border to the existing closed military zone, and entering them will be prohibited without prior coordination with the army.
The IDF faced criticism from the public after it made the announcement without offering an explanation as to why.
Many residents of southern Israel, traumatized by the events of October 7, said they feared the announcement was related to a security threat, the Kan public broadcaster said.
The announcement was made “without any explanation or updates offered to the residents, and sent a lot of people, who were sure there was a security incident, into stress and hysteria,” reporter Asaf Pozailov wrote on X. “People left work and ran home. A lot of people expressed panic.”
The new closed zones included fields between the Erez Crossing, Yad Mordechai, Shaar HaNegev Junction area and Nahal Oz; fields between the access road to the Netivot Cemetery and Route 234, and the region from there to the Gaza security barrier; and areas between the Re’im and Urim junctions and between those locations and the security barrier.
One of the organizing groups behind the prayer event, Nahala, which advocates for reestablishing Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, insisted that there was no intention for participants to enter the Palestinian enclave.
“We repeat and emphasize that the reading of Lamentations is planned to take place at the Anzac Monument in the sovereign territory of the State of Israel, and it is unthinkable that they would not allow the reading of the scroll to take place only for political reasons,” the group wrote on social media platform X. The monument, which is close to the border, is for soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who died fighting in the area during World War I.
“As we told the public and all military and police officials, there was no plan to cross the fence,” Nahala continued. “Many people from all over the country are expected to come and participate in the reading of the Book of Lamentations, calling for the renewal of Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip.”
The army sent additional forces to the area to ensure no civilians try to enter Gaza, and as a precaution against possible terrorist fire at the gathering, the Walla news site reported.
A police source told Walla that talks were ongoing with the organizers to find a safe place to hold the event.
Last week settler activists toured the area to prepare for the event, Ynet news reported Sunday.
Though Nahala declared that it does not intend to attempt entry into Gaza, earlier this month its chair Daniella Weiss made it clear that the event was part of efforts to raise public awareness of their hopes to resettle in Gaza.
Israel evacuated its settlements in the Gaza Strip when it unilaterally pulled out of the enclave in 2005.
“After seeing the successes of our army, we are committed to turning these achievements into a lasting success by returning to settlement in the Gaza Strip,” Weiss said in a Ynet report at the time. “Settlement is the key to strengthening security in the Gaza Envelope and the country as a whole and, moreover, it is part of our historical connection to Israel.”
Prominent figures inside the government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, are strongly in favor of reestablishing Israeli settlements inside Gaza and have advocated for such measures publicly.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it is unrealistic to resettle Gaza, angering far-right allies.
War erupted on October 7 when Hamas led a devastating attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel responded with a military campaign to destroy Hamas and free the hundreds of hostages who were seized during the Hamas attack and taken to Gaza.
The Israeli offensive has moved through most areas of Gaza, prompting groups like Nahala and its supporters to call for reestablishing the settlements.
