The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) blocked an attempt Thursday by “settler activists” who wanted to reestablish Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip.
“A group of settler activists violently breached a military checkpoint near the Erez border crossing and entered the Gaza Strip earlier today, the IDF says. The IDF says troops worked to bring the protesters back into Israeli territory and hand them over to police. Some of the activists managed to reach some 500 meters deep into Gaza, according to a military source,” Emanuel Fabian, military correspondent for The Times of Israel, tweeted alongside two photos of the incident. (RELATED: US, Israel Say Hamas Chief Is Hiding Underground In Gaza – But There’s One Major Risk In Killing Him Right Now)
A group of settler activists violently breached a military checkpoint near the Erez border crossing and entered the Gaza Strip earlier today, the IDF says.
The IDF says troops worked to bring the protesters back into Israeli territory and hand them over to police.
Some of the… pic.twitter.com/kIXdkFoHoE
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 29, 2024
Additional photos and videos of the incident including soldiers escorting the activists out of the Gaza Strip was tweeted out by Galatz, the official radio station of the IDF.
אזרחים ישראלים שהפגינו סמוך למעבר ארז פרצו מחסום צבאי – ונכנסו לעומק של כ-500 מטר בשטח צפון רצועת עזה. לוחמי צה”ל פועלים בשעה זו לפנותם מהמקום@Doron_Kadosh pic.twitter.com/jTPRD57KD3
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) February 29, 2024
The video opened with an activist speaking in Hebrew about how thrilled everyone was to be in Gaza and that the settlers yearned to return to the various Jewish communities that were uprooted from Gaza in 2005. The communities were uprooted after Israel’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from the area. “We are in Gaza. Come with us,” says the man with the camera. “Everyone wants to [come here]. Even the soldiers evacuating us really want to be here — it is alright,” the man added.
Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip back in 2003 numbered 7,556 people, according to the Jewish Virtual Library.
A second video uploaded by Galatz, however, showed a less friendly side of the activists.
“אתה מסייע לאויב עכשיו” • תיעוד נוסף של האזרחים הישראלים שהגיעו להפגין היום במעבר ארז צועקים על חיילי צה”ל בגבול הרצועה @Doron_Kadosh pic.twitter.com/sgNzyqVmTe
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) February 29, 2024
The video showed one activist in particular loudly berating an IDF soldier at the border. “You are helping the enemy now,” the activist shouted in Hebrew among other insults.
Nine suspects were arrested for assaulting police officers and disregarding IDF orders during this incident, The Jerusalem Post reported.