Reuters. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the military would never fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip and that a civilian-military army unit would be established in the enclave.
Speaking at a ceremony announcing the establishment of 1,200 housing units in place of an Israeli military base that is being shut in Beit El in the occupied West Bank, Katz said "we will build a civilian-military army unit, instead of the settlements that were uprooted, and we will do it in a proper way, in the right time." Also known as Nahal units.
Nahal units are for civilians interested in enlisting in the military, which includes a year of pre-military preparatory and volunteer programmes. These units have had a historic role in creating Israeli communities.
Israel withdrew settlements from Gaza in 2005. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of re-establishing settlements in Gaza throughout the two-year war, although some ultra-nationalist members of his coalition seek to reoccupy Gaza.
Israel is heading into an election year in 2026 and the issue of settlements is expected to be a key issue. Netanyahu's office declined to comment.
