FILE – Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. His official X account
CAIRO – 26 August 2026: Israel on Tuesday expelled Dutch representatives from a US-led Gaza coordination center in southern Israel, following the Netherlands’ decision to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the move was ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to what he called a series of “anti-Israel measures” by the Dutch government.
The Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat hosts international representatives working to monitor the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and support planning for Gaza’s postwar future.
The Netherlands has taken several measures against Israel since the deadly war in Gaza, which has killed over 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 174,000.
These include barring Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country for their “advocacy for ethnic cleansing in Gaza” and banning imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank starting Sept. 22.
Saar said Israel will respond to measures taken against it, warning that those acting against Israel will have “no foothold in the region.”