At a recent conference on Israel’s border with Gaza, a leader of Israeli settlers made some shocking statements. Daniella Weiss, who leads a settler group called Nachala, said that Palestinians living in Gaza will “disappear” and that many settlers are ready to move into the area. She spoke to a large crowd that included Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and other members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political party, Likud.
Weiss made it clear that her group’s goal was to settle the entire Gaza Strip. She stated, “We came here with one clear purpose: to settle the entire Gaza Strip, from north to south.” Weiss claimed that about 700 families and six different settler groups were prepared to move into Gaza. This comes in the wake of a devastating conflict that has seen over 42,600 Palestinians killed since the war began against Hamas in October of last year.
She emphasized her belief that following the attacks on October 7, the Palestinians lost their right to stay in Gaza. “They will go to different countries of the world. They will not stay here,” she said confidently. Weiss also insisted that once settlers move in, they will see how “Jews go to Gaza and Arabs disappear from Gaza.”
The conference, which was described as a “celebration for the preparation of settling Gaza,” drew over a thousand attendees, many of whom were armed. The atmosphere was intense, with the sounds of ongoing Israeli bombings in the background. Many participants wore T-shirts and stickers supporting far-right ideologies, including those linked to Meir Kahane, a controversial figure known for his extremist views.
Israeli Security Minister Ben Gvir echoed Weiss’s sentiments, stating that Palestinians should “voluntarily” leave for other countries. He claimed that the land belonged to Jews, declaring, “We are the owners of the land.” This idea was reinforced by another Likud member, Tally Gotliv, who said, “There are no innocent people in Gaza.”
The backdrop to this gathering was the Israeli military’s intensified assault on northern Gaza, where many Palestinians are trapped amid relentless airstrikes. Reports suggest that Israel is implementing a strategy that aims for the complete takeover of the region, causing alarm among aid organizations who warn that northern Gaza is being “erased.”
Weiss also shared that her settler movement plans to use the knowledge they gained from building settlements in the West Bank to establish a presence in Gaza. She said, “We have political support, we have public support, and we have the experience that we have accumulated over the years.”
This bold and controversial conference raises questions about the future of Gaza and the Palestinians living there. With settlers ready to move in and calls for the removal of the local population, the situation remains tense and uncertain.
