Gaza cannot be merely occupied. It must be conquered, Hamas expelled, and Jewish presence restored to correct the historic error of disengagement. “If you’re going to pay the price, you had better get the goods.” The 20 year mistake of the “Disengagement”–the expulsion of Israelis living and dead–must be reversed and redeemed.

“Full occupation” is the phrase making headlines — but the truth is starker and simpler: Israel must reclaim Gaza. Not temporarily. Not conditionally. Conquer it, hold it, and replant our national roots there.

The war that began on October 7, 2023, shattered every illusion Israelis still clung to about Hamas, Gaza, and the feasibility of coexistence with an enemy committed to our destruction. The idea that Gaza could be left to “govern itself” was tested and failed catastrophically. The idea that a terrorist entity could be “contained” behind a fence was buried with our murdered families.

Now we face a stark choice: either finish the war decisively with total control of Gaza, or condemn ourselves and our children to repeat this nightmare — again and again.

Occupation Is Not Enough. This Must Be Conquest.

Let’s speak plainly. The term “occupation” is already a compromise. What Israel must do is not merely control territory but destroy the enemy, restore deterrence, and reestablish sovereignty over a land that is — historically, biblically, and strategically — part of our national homeland.

Gaza is not foreign territory. It is the land of the Philistines and the tribe of Judah. It was part of ancient Israel, mentioned countless times in Tanach. It was home to Jews for centuries — until pogroms, terror, and British betrayal drove them out.

In 2005, Ariel Sharon’s disengagement forcibly uprooted 8,600 Jews from Gush Katif in a move hailed by Western diplomats and media alike. We were promised peace. We received rockets, tunnels, and massacres. That disengagement was not just a strategic blunder; it was a moral failure — a surrender of Jewish destiny to appease a world that never rewards Jewish weakness.

We must now reverse that mistake. Conquest must lead to restoration.

The Hostage Dilemma Cannot Paralyze National Strategy

Critics argue that invading the remaining Hamas strongholds puts the lives of 50 hostages at risk. That is heartbreakingly true. But refusing to move forward ensures the death of hundreds, perhaps thousands more — in the next war, in the next slaughter, in the next October 7.

The latest propaganda videos of Evyatar David and Rom Braslovsky show us the fate that awaits the hostages: starvation, humiliation, death. They are not being protected by our caution. They are being tortured by our delay. The only pressure Hamas understands is existential. It will not yield until it believes its survival is at stake.

Incrementalism — as reportedly advocated by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir — will not destroy Hamas. It may not even weaken it. Gaza’s urban chaos is a perfect shield for its tunnels and militias. Unless the IDF is ordered to sweep and hold every last square meter, Hamas will remain — like a metastasized tumor evading surgery.

The Strain on the Army Demands National Resolve, Not Retreat

Yes, the IDF is exhausted. Yes, the reserves are strained. But what is the alternative — surrender? Half a million Israelis were displaced in the opening months of this war. The threat from the north continues to grow. And yet, the answer is not to scale down Gaza — it’s to mobilize the nation.

That begins with ending the exemption culture. If Haredi parties refuse to share the burden, they should be shown the door. Aryeh Deri’s declaration that “Torah students carry the burden” is not just false — it’s grotesque. Jewish law honors defense of life as the highest priority. Our soldiers are not optional. They are the front line of Jewish survival.

If the coalition must fall to restore national dignity and mobilization, so be it.

International Aid and Arab Resettlement Must Be Embraced — Not Feared

President Trump’s February plan — offering funding for the relocation of Gazans — is the most rational path forward. Hamas turned Gaza into an armed camp. It turned its own people into pawns and human shields. There is no obligation — legal or moral — to keep millions locked in a war zone to serve Hamas’s propaganda.

Israel should encourage voluntary emigration with international backing. Those who wish to live in peace elsewhere must be given that opportunity. The goal is not to “cleanse” Gaza, but to cleanse it of jihad. Those who remain must be willing to live under Israeli law and order — or leave.

The Return to Gaza Is a National Redemption

For 20 years, we have lived with the consequences of running from our own soil. It’s time to return. Gaza must not be left in limbo, nor handed to the PA, nor treated as a moral hot potato. It is time to settle it — not only with tanks, but eventually, with families. Not as a colony, but as part of Eretz Yisrael.

This is not a “far-right” fantasy. It is a historical correction. No nation survives by amputating its limbs. No people redeems its promise by fleeing from its land. The Jews of Gush Katif were pioneers. Their return must be our legacy.

Conclusion: Finality or Futility

This war will not end with a press conference or a ceasefire. It will end when Hamas is crushed, Gaza is conquered, and Israel reclaims its full national spine.

Occupation is temporary. Conquest is final.

Let us not be afraid to say what must be done: Gaza must be ours again. Not for vengeance. For justice. For safety. For history. For our children.

For home.