Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Tuesday that Israel will never fully withdraw its military forces from the Gaza Strip and announced plans to establish army units in the Palestinian territory, directly contradicting key provisions of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that took effect in October, according to Al Jazeera.
Controversial Statements Challenge Peace Framework
Speaking at a ceremony marking the construction of 1,200 new housing units in the Beit El settlement in the occupied West Bank, Katz stated, “We are deep inside Gaza, and we will never leave Gaza—there will be no such thing,” according to multiple news outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and Anadolu Agency.
The defense minister further announced intentions to deploy Nahal Brigade units—a mixed military-civilian formation historically associated with establishing settlements—in northern Gaza, “in place of” Israeli communities evacuated during the 2005 disengagement plan. His remarks were reported across Israeli media outlets, including Yedioth Ahronoth.
US Officials Seek Clarification
Following backlash, Katz issued a clarification to Reuters, stating that Nahal units would be deployed in Gaza “for security purposes only”. His office later released a statement claiming the defense minister “does not intend to establish settlements in Gaza” and that “the presence of the Nahal Brigade in Gaza will be for security purposes only,” according to Kurdistan 24.
US officials reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Katz’s original statements and requested further clarification, Al Jazeera reported. The remarks come as President Donald Trump’s administration has brokered a fragile ceasefire that explicitly stipulates complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and prohibits the reinstatement of Israeli civilian settlements in the territory.
Ceasefire Agreement Under Strain
The October 10, 2025, ceasefire agreement, part of Trump’s multi-phase peace initiative, envisions Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, the establishment of an interim authority to govern the territory in place of Hamas, and deployment of an international stabilization force, according to The Straits Times. The framework requires Hamas to release all hostages and undergo demilitarization, which the group has refused.
“We are located deep inside Gaza, and we will never leave all of Gaza,” Katz stated during the West Bank ceremony.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued near-daily attacks in Gaza along with demolition of buildings in areas where troops remain deployed, according to China Global Television Network. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that Israeli forces have killed more than 240 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to over 69,000, according to Al Jazeera.
Regional Implications
The defense minister’s comments coincide with a scheduled meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump to discuss the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu announced on December 7 that he would meet Trump later this month to discuss “potential avenues for achieving peace and dismantling the rule of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas,” according to NBC News.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with 90 percent of the territory’s population displaced and 1.5 million people urgently needing emergency shelter as winter approaches, according to the British Red Cross. The International Classification of Phases declared a famine in the Gaza Governorate area in August 2025.
Katz’s statements about permanent military presence in Gaza align with positions taken by members of Netanyahu’s coalition government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have advocated for complete Israeli control over Gaza and promoted “voluntary migration” of Palestinians without the option of return.
Future of Peace Process Uncertain
The apparent contradiction between Israeli government statements and the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire raises questions about the viability of Trump’s peace framework. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey continue to press for the implementation of subsequent phases of the truce.
The first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan has seen Hamas release all 20 living captives and 27 deceased individuals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees, though one hostage’s remains are still unaccounted for in Gaza, NBC News reported. However, experts caution that the subsequent steps toward lasting peace could prove significantly more challenging given the divergent positions on Gaza’s future governance and security arrangements.