Israel’s finance minister asked the government to approve the construction of three settlements in the northern area of the Gaza Strip. Bezalel Smotrich, who also heads the settlement division in the Ministry of Defense, wrote on his X account that the division has completed its professional work and is ready to immediately create these settlements after receiving the prime minister’s green light.

He wrote to Benjamin Netanyahu: “I ask the prime minister to give approval so that we can complete the mission and restore real security to the residents of the south.”

The three settlements in question are located in the north of Gaza and are among the settlements that were evacuated in 2005.

Smotrich said Israel must “complete taking control of the rest of the land, defeat Hamas, and establish a belt of Jewish settlements.” He added: “Where there is no settlement, there is no security. We will not return to the reality before October 7.”