Against a backdrop of growing speculation that Israel is preparing to restart large-scale military operations in Gaza, a senior far-right Israeli lawmaker has reignited controversy with extreme new calls for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip and the forced expulsion of its civilian population, framing the move as the sole path to long-term Israeli security.
Limor Son Har-Melech, a parliament member from the far-right Otzma Yehudit party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, made the remarks in a social media post on X Sunday following an official inspection tour of communities along the Gaza-Israel border. In the post, which included photos and video from her tour, she argued that Israel remains trapped in what she called a failed strategic framework for Gaza, and that there is no substitute for military conquest, mass displacement of local residents, and the establishment of new Jewish settlements across the enclave.
“Any other solution is unfeasible and will bring upon us the next massacre,” she wrote. Son Har-Melech also emphasized that Israel has no choice but to seize full control of the Netzarim Corridor, a strategic strip of land that splits Gaza into separate northern and southern zones, and to build a permanent chain of Israeli settlements along the route.
This latest statement is far from an outlier for the hardline politician, who has a long track record of incendiary rhetoric targeting Palestinians. In previous public remarks, she has praised an Israeli citizen convicted of murdering three members of a Palestinian family, and backed a group of Israeli prison staff accused of sexually assaulting Palestinian detainees, falsely claiming the officers were framed. Son Har-Melech has also organized and participated in multiple public events advocating for Israeli resettlement of occupied Palestinian territories, including a conference hosted inside Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, that explicitly called for the expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza and laid out detailed plans for Jewish settlement construction in the enclave.
Son Har-Melech’s comments come as Israeli military leaders are pushing for an immediate resumption of offensive operations in Gaza, according to reporting from Israeli Army Radio. The outlet cited senior defense officials who argue that the current moment presents a unique and optimal window to defeat Hamas, the governing group of Gaza. Planners have already finalized military blueprints for the renewed offensive, Army Radio reported, with only a final sign-off from Israel’s top political leadership required to launch hostilities.