Katz boasts of Gaza’s destruction, says it is the result of a ‘well-thought-out policy’ and announces plan for three military outposts

Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz defended the widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip during a visit to northern Gaza on Sunday, describing it as “the result of a well-thought-out policy” and announcing plans to establish three military outposts inside the territory.

In an interview broadcast Monday by Israel’s Channel 14, Katz was asked how he felt about the destruction in Gaza. He replied: “It feels good, doesn’t it?” adding that “all of this (destruction) is the result of a well-thought-out policy aimed at eliminating threats.”

Katz said Israel had shifted from what he described as a strategy of temporary military raids to a more permanent presence.

“Instead of the raid method—entering and exiting—the Israeli army is inside, the terrorists are outside, and the houses are destroyed,” he said.

According to Channel 14, Katz also outlined a new strategic objective of establishing a permanent Israeli presence in northern Gaza.

He said he intends to establish three Nahal nuclei, which combine military units with a historical role in the establishment of Israeli communities, at sites that existed in northern Gaza before Israel’s 2005 disengagement from the territory.

Katz argued that the move is necessary for security, saying it would strengthen Israel’s control over the area and improve the defence of nearby Israeli communities “when the time is right.”

The remarks come amid continued Israeli violations despite the ceasefire that took effect in October 2025. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,500 injured in reported ceasefire violations. The ministry also states that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 173,000 injured since the war began in October 2023.

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