Ministers and MKs from the Likud, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionism parties have called on Defense Minister Israel Katz to authorize a civilian tour into the northern Gaza perimeter, as part of a public initiative.
In a letter to Katz, the lawmakers wrote, “The return of the Jewish people to these areas is not only a strategic step — it is the deepest and most practical expression of the return to Zion.”
The signatories noted that the area is under full IDF control, with no Gazan civilian presence and no security restrictions. The request was initiated by the Nachala organization, ahead of a large public march Wednesday evening calling for the reestablishment of Jewish communities in Gaza.
“Gaza is not just another geographic territory — it is the living heart of the Land of Israel,” the letter stated. “The return of the Jewish people to these areas is not only a strategic step — but Zionist return in its deepest and most practical sense.”
The MKs warned that blocking the tour, absent any security limitations, “would be perceived as a political decision and a silencing of the nationalist camp.”
Signatories include Likud ministers Shlomo Karhi, May Golan, and Miki Zohar; Otzma Yehudit ministers Itamar Ben Gvir, Itshak Waserlauf, and Amichai Eliyahu; along with approximately 20 additional Knesset members.