Israeli War Minister Defies Ceasefire, Threatens Permanent Occupation of Gaza
Katz Threatens Gaza with Military-Agricultural Bases and Settlement Plans in the North
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Israeli War Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday openly vowed that the occupation will never fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip or from Syrian territories under Israeli occupation, in statements that expose the Israeli government’s long-term colonial agenda despite the ongoing ceasefire.
Speaking at a press conference held in the illegal settlement of Beit El, near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Katz declared unequivocally:
“Israel will never completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip. We are deeply entrenched in Gaza and we will not leave. This is impossible.”
The remarks were reported by the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth and reflect the occupation’s clear intention to entrench its presence in Gaza indefinitely.
Plans for ‘Military-Agricultural’ Bases in Northern Gaza
Katz further revealed plans to establish so-called “military-agricultural bases” in northern Gaza, replacing settlements dismantled during Israel’s 2005 disengagement.
“When the appropriate time comes, Israel will establish Nahal sites in northern Gaza,” Katz said, threatening permanent Israeli presence in the area.
According to Haaretz, the Nahal program is an old Israeli military scheme in which soldiers serve collectively before transitioning into civilian settlement projects—effectively a pipeline for settlement expansion under military cover.
Ceasefire Undermined by Israeli Stalling and Escalation
Katz’s remarks come nearly three months after a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, amid deliberate stalling by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in moving to the second phase of the deal.
Netanyahu has conditioned progress on the disarmament of Hamas, despite the movement’s repeated declarations that it is committed to the terms of the agreement.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has resulted in around 71,000 Palestinian martyrs and more than 171,000 wounded, alongside massive destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The United Nations estimates that reconstruction costs in Gaza exceed $70 billion.
Katz Boasts of Expansion in the West Bank
In the same press conference, Katz openly boasted about what he called the “settlement character” of the Israeli government, describing it as a “settler government.”
He confirmed approval for the construction of 1,200 new settlement units in Beit El, one of the most entrenched illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Referring to annexation plans and the controversial E1 settlement project, Katz stated:
“If sovereignty can be applied, we will apply it. We are now in a phase of practical sovereignty.”
Approximately 750,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the occupied West Bank, including 250,000 in occupied East Jerusalem, amid escalating settler violence aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians.
The United Nations considers all settlements in occupied territories illegal under international law, while Palestinian officials warn that formal annexation would completely destroy any remaining possibility of a two-state solution.
Israel Refuses to Withdraw from Syria
Regarding Syria, Katz declared that Israeli forces “will not move an inch” from occupied Syrian territory, offering no further details.
These statements come as indirect negotiations are reportedly taking place between Syria and Israel over a potential security arrangement, with Damascus demanding a return to the status quo prior to December 8, 2024, the date of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Following those developments, Israel announced the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, seized the buffer zone, and expanded its occupation under the pretext of “security.”
Syrian officials and observers warn that ongoing Israeli violations undermine stability, obstruct reconstruction, and hinder efforts by the new Syrian authorities to attract investment and revive the economy.
Katz’s statements leave little room for ambiguity: Israel’s strategy is not de-escalation, peace, or withdrawal—but permanent occupation, settlement expansion, and territorial control, in Gaza, the West Bank, and Syria alike.
Despite ceasefires and diplomatic language, the reality on the ground confirms that the Israeli occupation continues to treat Palestinian and Arab lands as open terrain for colonization, in direct defiance of international law and human rights. (PW)