On the ruins of Kfar Darom
Israeli Civilians Enter Gaza, Raise Flag
The IDF says dozens of Israeli civilians entered the Gaza strip without authorization, returning to the area once known as Kfar Darom and raising Israeli flags. The civilians are members of the Nahala movement, which calls for the return of Jewish settlement to Gaza.
Dozens of Israeli civilians briefly crossed into the Gaza Strip on Thursday, driving several hundred meters past the border and raising Israeli flags, in an incident the Israel Defense Forces said endangered civilians and disrupted military activity in an active combat zone.
According to the IDF, a group of Israeli civilians entered the Gaza Strip from Israeli territory in private vehicles and were monitored throughout the incident by military surveillance. The civilians advanced several hundred meters into the strip, to an area they described as the “ruins of Kfar Darom,” where they raised Israeli flags before leaving the area. Some returned to Israel on their own, while others were escorted back by security forces.
The group included around 20 activists affiliated with the right-wing Nahala movement, which advocates for renewed Jewish settlement in Gaza. In a statement, the movement described the incident as “a first step on the road to Jewish settlement in Gaza,” framing it as a symbolic act rather than a protest. Nahala said families and settlement activists raised the Israeli flag to send what it called a “clear message” about Israel’s future presence in the territory.
The IDF said the incident did not end there. Later, dozens more Israeli civilians attempted to breach the border fence at another location. According to the military, several individuals broke through a barrier and entered the buffer zone separating Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. IDF and police forces responded quickly and prevented them from entering Gaza itself.
“All entry into a combat zone is prohibited,” the IDF said in a statement. “Such actions endanger civilians and interfere with the operational activity of IDF forces in the area.”
The incident comes amid ongoing fighting in Gaza and heightened sensitivity around civilian movement near the border. Israeli law prohibits unauthorized entry into the Gaza Strip, both for security reasons and to prevent interference with military operations.
Security officials did not immediately say whether arrests were made or whether charges would be filed. The IDF emphasized that it continues to maintain control of the border area and warned against any further attempts by civilians to cross into active combat zones.
The episode underscores persistent tensions on Israel’s southern border, where ideological activism, security restrictions, and ongoing military operations continue to collide.