Smotrich calls for reoccupation of Gaza as Lapid dismisses remarks as “fantasy”

According to Israel’s Maariv newspaper, Smotrich said during a press conference on Monday evening that the objective should be to “occupy Gaza, establish a military government, build Israeli settlements in the Strip, and encourage the voluntary migration of Gaza’s residents.”

In response, Lapid told Maariv that “Smotrich is living in a fantasy,” adding that he felt compelled to “clarify the reality, because the minister appears not to understand it.”

Lapid noted that “there are 30,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza,” and that the so-called Peace Council includes Türkiye and Qatar. He added that the technocratic governing body for Gaza, approved by the Israeli government, is, in practice, under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

He further stated that Palestinian Authority personnel are present at the Rafah crossing, stamping passports of those entering Gaza with official PA seals, describing this as “the reality on the ground.”

Lapid added, “I have no issue with Smotrich living in a world of imagination; imagination is legitimate, but why present it in the media?”

Zionist regime launched a large-scale military offensive on Gaza on October 7, 2023, with US support, which lasted for two years and resulted in more than 72,000 Palestinian victims and over 171,000 injured, most of them women and children. The war also caused widespread destruction, with approximately 90 percent of civilian infrastructure damaged.

Although a ceasefire was reached in October 2025, Zionist regime’s forces have continued to carry out airstrikes and demolition operations in various parts of Gaza, in what have been described as repeated violations of the agreement.