By 5 Towns Central Staff

JERUSALEM (July 19, 2026) — Thousands of demonstrators gathered along the perimeter near the Gaza border to participate in a large-scale march advocating for the re-establishment of Jewish communities in the territory. The event, organized by prominent settlement advocacy groups, marked more than two decades since the historical disengagement from the coastal enclave.

High-profile cabinet members and elected officials joined the gathering. During the demonstration, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir addressed the crowd, emphasizing the expansion of operational control across the region over recent years. He publicly expressed support for permanent resettlement across the entire enclave and called for policies encouraging voluntary population relocation, asserting that the territory belongs to Israel.

The mass rally coincided with expanding operational footprints within the region. Officials previously reported that defense forces have extended physical control over approximately seventy percent of the coastal strip, constructing fortified buffer zones and military infrastructure along key corridors.

Ahead of the rally, defense authorities declared a temporary closed military zone covering the surrounding border roads and junctions to maintain public safety and prevent unauthorized access. Despite security checkpoints, participants advanced toward elevated vantage points overlooking former residential sites in northern Gaza to display national flags and call on the government to authorize a formal return.