Dozens of settler activists, including far-right MK, illegally cross into Gaza
‘Gaza will always be ours,’ declares Otzma Yehudit lawmaker; IDF ‘strongly condemns’ incident, says activists put troops at risk
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Dozens of settler activists, among them far-right MK Limor Son Har-Melech, illegally breached into the Gaza Strip Thursday evening, prompting the Israel Defense Forces to dispatch troops to the scene.
“We were privileged, with thanks to the blessed God, to enter the Gaza Strip, together with the Nachala movement and dozens of families, women, men, and children,” the Otzma Yehudit lawmaker wrote on social media.
“Gaza will always be ours,” Son Har-Melech added.
The activists from the ultra-nationalist Nachala settlement organization said they crossed the Gaza border with vehicles and planted trees in the area, part of its attempts to reestablish settlements that were fully evacuated during Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Strip in 2005.
Nachala described the activists’ entry to Gaza on Thursday as part of preparations for “a giant march” in the enclave during Passover.
“In place of murderers, Jewish children will play,” a statement from Nachala quoted Son Har-Melech as saying.
On Friday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said it “strongly condemns” the settler activists, saying they put soldiers at risk.
According to the military, the civilians were “under continuous surveillance” during the incident.
The IDF said troops operating in the area detained the activists, “safely returned them to Israeli territory,” and handed them over to the police for further questioning.
“The IDF strongly condemns the civilians’ crossing into the Gaza Strip, which endangers both the civilians and the IDF troops operating in the area,” the army added.
בהתרגשות עצומה, נטענו עצים בחבל עזה האהוב יחד עם סגנית יו"ר הכנסת, ח"כ לימור סון הר מלך ????????
ממשיכים לפעול עד שעזה תהיה יהודית! ????????
בהזדמנות זאת אנו מזמינים את כל הציבור להצטרף ולהגיע לצעדת הענק לעזה שתתקיים אי"ה בחוה"מ פסח ????
הגיע הזמן להתיישב בעזה! ????️ pic.twitter.com/4VZHC12qIV
— נחלה – תנועה להתיישבות ???? (@T_Nachala) February 19, 2026
Earlier this month, a group of settler activists similarly crossed into Gaza during a protest that Nachala held along the border, which the IDF has declared a closed military zone.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said during the war that Israel has no intention of reestablishing settlements inside Gaza, although several coalition members have consistently called to do so.
Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led onslaught that sparked the war in Gaza, Israeli civilians have on several occasions attempted to enter the Strip — often pro-settlement activists seeking to reclaim the settlements that Israel dismantled under the 2005 Disengagement Plan.
Under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, Israeli troops would eventually completely withdraw from Gaza with the deployment of an International Stabilization Force that is supposed to disarm Hamas.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
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