In a direct challenge to a U.S.-brokered peace agreement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Tuesday that his country's military will never fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, announcing plans to establish permanent army units within the Palestinian enclave.
Minister Katz's statements directly contradict the terms of the current peace plan, which Israel itself signed in October 2025. That agreement explicitly states in its 16th point that "Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza" and that Israeli forces would withdraw as an international stabilization force takes over. Katz, however, dismissed this provision, asserting, "We are located deep inside Gaza, and we will never leave all of Gaza". He later clarified to Reuters that Nahal units would be stationed "only for security reasons," but the original comments had already caused significant diplomatic friction, with U.S. officials reportedly demanding clarification.
The choice of the Nahal brigade for this proposed deployment is historically significant and suggests a long-term strategy beyond temporary security. The Nahal is an Israeli infantry unit with a deep history of combining military service with the establishment of civilian settlements. It also has a large history of war crimes. Katz specifically stated that these units would be established "in place of the settlements that were uprooted" during Israel's 2005 disengagement from Gaza, indicating a potential effort to reassert a permanent Israeli footprint. These developments signal an intention to create irreversible facts on the ground during the fragile ceasefire period.
Analysts view this move in Gaza as part of a concerted effort by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government to prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. Simultaneously, Israel is aggressively expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, where Katz made his announcement at a ceremony for 1,200 new housing units. He described the government as a "settlements government" entering an "era of practical sovereignty". This two-pronged approach, entrenching control in Gaza while annexing West Bank land systematically undermines Palestinian territorial sovereignty and the prospect of a two-state solution.
Israel's settlement activities are considered illegal under international law, a stance reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice. The ongoing violence continues to extract a heavy human cost. Since the October 2025 ceasefire began, Palestinian health officials report that over 400 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,100 injured by Israeli fire. With senior officials now openly planning a permanent military presence, these actions threaten to unravel the peace process and perpetuate the cycle of occupation and conflict.