A group of civilians from the Nahala movement crossed into Gaza on Thursday as part of a protest demanding the Israeli resettlement of the area, the military confirmed.
"Several Israeli civilians crossed the border from Israeli territory into the Gaza Strip. The civilians were under constant observation by the IDF. IDF troops present in the area were dispatched to the scene and returned them to Israeli territory," said the IDF.
The military also added that a second crossing attempt was made at a different point of the security fence between Gaza and Israel. "IDF and Israel Police forces were dispatched to the scene and prevented their crossing into the Gaza Strip," read the statement.
The Nahala group said in a statement that "the Israeli flag was raised for the first time since the October 7 massacre in Gaza," and demanded that it must only be controlled by Israeli forces. "It will not be handed over to the Americans or any other foreign entity," they said.
Daniella Weiss, chairwoman of the Nahala group, commented: "It is precisely in these days that we need to say in a clear voice what is obvious: Gaza belongs to the people of Israel. And we must start settling in Gaza now. This is a just and correct demand that has significant support from a large majority of the public in the State of Israel."
The Nahal movement assured on Thursday that the second attempt to raise a flag in southern Gaza was "successful."
"The families of the Nahla movement's settlement cores, along with other activists, raised a flag near the ruins of the Morag settlement in the southern Gaza Strip," read a statement.
IDF reservist lightly wounded by stray bullet
In a separate incident on Thursday, an IDF reservist was lightly wounded after being hit by a stray bullet in the northern Gaza Strip.
The soldier was evacuated, and his family was notified, the Israeli military confirmed.