Israeli ministers have joined Gaza to demand the return of the settlements | Gaza News

Hundreds gather near the border as right-wing activists press for the rebuilding of villages that were sacked in 2005.

Members of Israel’s cabinet and parliament have joined them in a trip to Gaza to call for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in the besieged Palestinian territory.

The march on Sunday defied martial law which prevented them from marching at the last minute due to concerns that some of the participants were planning to cross the fence into the besieged Palestinian territory.

The meeting is the latest sign of how to call again Gaza they have left the political side and entered the main issues of Israeli politics.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party was listed as one of the sponsors of the meeting, although he denied it. Gaza will never be established again.

Earlier, the Israeli army imposed a 24-hour military blockade on the area, saying it was supposed to prevent the marchers from crossing into Gaza.

Nachathe group behind the event, called it the “March of Thousands” and said that more than 10,000 attended, although Israeli media reports said the number was only a few hundred.

The first is led by Daniella Weisswho has been urging Israel to resettle Gaza. Speaking at a meeting of the Likud party, he said the Palestinians have “disappeared” from the region.

Some marchers bypassed the checkpoint and crossed the mountainside to reach the Gaza border. Video verified by Al Jazeera’s security team showed dozens of Israelis gathered at the border crossing.

Also on the trip were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also in charge of security, National Defense Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and more than a dozen ministers and parliamentarians, Israeli media reported.

Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have been welcomed by several European countries.

Marching under the banner of “returning home after 21 years,” they ordered the rebuilding of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit, three villages that had been displaced when Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

Ben-Gvir, a member of Netanyahu’s cabinet, posted his video among the marchers with the words: ‘Gaza is ours’. Deputy Prime Minister Smotrich also called on Israel not to miss the “old chance” to rebuild Gaza.

Lawyer and Palestinian expert Diana Buttu told Al Jazeera that Israel’s establishment has been made possible by a lack of accountability.

“Because Israel has never been punished for its crimes, it is natural that a country that commits genocide and ethnic cleansing has the courage to steal more land”, he said.

In December, a group of Nachala activists briefly crossed into Gaza and planted an Israeli flag before the army drove them back to the fence.