Jerusalem / Anadolu

Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said Wednesday that the ultimate goal of the government is to control the Gaza Strip and establish settlements there.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Jewish Power party, as saying: 'Our ultimate goal is to regain control of Gaza, including the establishment of settlements.'

He added: 'I agree that Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) has not yet put this issue on the agenda, but it is certainly up for discussion. In the Middle East, public opinion understands this language,' according to his expression.

The Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, calls for occupying the Gaza Strip, establishing settlements there, and displacing Palestinians.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in June 1967 during the Six-Day War, and in August 2005 began implementing the disengagement plan, evacuating all Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and removing the settlers.

International law considers the Gaza Strip part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and stipulates that the establishment of settlements in occupied territories has no legal validity and constitutes a violation of international laws and resolutions.

Thousands of Israeli settlers, led by ministers including Ben-Gvir, organized a demonstration on Sunday at the border of the Gaza Strip amid calls to establish settlements in the Strip.

These far-right orientations conflict with the plan of US President Donald Trump, which stipulates Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and no occupation or displacement of Palestinians from it.

The plan says: 'No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so, with the freedom to return. We will encourage people to stay and give them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.'

It adds: 'Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza,' and 'Israeli forces will withdraw according to criteria, landmarks, and timetables.'

Despite the ceasefire agreement announced since October 2025 under the plan, Israel continues to commit genocide by killing and wounding Palestinians daily, as well as restricting the entry of humanitarian aid, and expanding its control over the Strip from 53 percent of its total area under the agreement to 70 percent.

In total, since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 173,000 others injured, in addition to widespread destruction affecting 90 percent of civilian infrastructure.