The normalization of genocide is increasingly being used to normalize colonial expansion in Gaza.
Just three weeks after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to establish three new Israeli settlements in Gaza, the settler movement Nahala organized a march toward the territory's border.
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The demonstration brought together senior Israeli officials, including Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Economy Minister Nir Barkat and other Likud politicians, who crossed into a closed military zone after bypassing barriers erected by the Israeli army.
Their stated objective was to rebuild the former settlements of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit, all of which were dismantled in 2005 under former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan.
At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has pushed for the establishment of three Nahal-style outposts in Gaza. Historically, Nahal outposts have often served as the first step toward permanent Israeli settlements, raising concerns that these proposals represent more than temporary security measures.
Calls for renewed settlement in Gaza have become increasingly explicit. Ben-Gvir has once again promoted what he describes as "voluntary migration" for Palestinians from Gaza, a proposal widely criticized as forced displacement.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi described Jewish settlement in Gaza as "a meaningful image of victory." Settlement expansion has long been central to the Zionist project in historic Palestine.
Since before the Nakba in 1948, critics argue that territorial expansion has relied on the displacement of Palestinians and the use of force, making violence inseparable from the broader settler-colonial project. Within this context, the destruction of Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians are viewed not simply as consequences of war but as conditions that could facilitate future settlement expansion.
The international community was slow to acknowledge allegations of genocide in Gaza and has shown little urgency in responding to growing calls for renewed settlement construction. By the time meaningful international action is taken, many fear that facts on the ground may already have changed.
Those concerns have intensified after the Israeli military confirmed it is constructing a barrier along what it calls the "Yellow Line" inside Gaza. Israeli officials say the barrier is intended to prevent infiltration and protect nearby Israeli communities.
Critics, however, argue that such infrastructure cannot be separated from broader discussions surrounding territorial control and future settlement plans, particularly as Palestinians remain largely prevented from accessing significant parts of the Strip.
The Nahala march was more than a symbolic demonstration. It reflected settlement proposals that already exist and are awaiting political approval. With Israeli elections approaching, settlement policy is expected to remain a key political issue.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has largely remained silent on the proposals, but that silence is widely interpreted as political calculation rather than outright opposition.
Whether new settlements are established in Gaza immediately or not, one fact remains: the plans already exist. Their existence underscores the increasingly close relationship between Israel's settlement movement and senior government officials, raising broader questions about Gaza's future once the war ends.
