Katz retracts 'settlements' pledge, but Gazans see more violence amid 'ceasefire'

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday asserted that the Israeli army "will never withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip", in remarks that were widely interpreted as a blunt acknowledgement of Israel's long-term control strategy.

Following pressure from the United States, Katz retracted the statement, saying that Israel had no intention to establish settlements in Gaza.

But for Palestinians, his backtracking only reinforced the belief that Israel deliberately maintains instability, treating ceasefires and agreements as temporary, strategic pauses rather than genuine commitments.

The apparent contradiction between Katz's statements and his subsequent retreat highlights a recurring pattern: while Israel signals compliance to international partners, on the ground, Palestinians continue to witness policies that suggest enduring control, surveillance, and violence.

According to Israel's Army Radio, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious over Katz's statements, particularly regarding "settlement nuclei" in northern Gaza, prompting demands for a public denial.

Palestinians view these disagreements as little more than a struggle over optics; they see the real policies on the ground unchanged.

Since the ceasefire began in October, over 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, shelling, and gunfire in Gaza, according to medical and human rights sources.

Israel claims that these incidents are "security operations", while locals see them as evidence that the truce has only transformed the violence into low-intensity, ongoing violence against civilians.

Life during the 'ceasefire': Fear and anger persist

In Gaza's streets scarred by bombing, residents interpret Israel's Katz's words differently.

"He backed down verbally, but not in practice," Abu Mohammed Ali, a Gaza-based father of five who lost his brother after the ceasefire, told The New Arab. "The killing hasn't stopped; only the way it happens has changed," he said.

He described how he tries to comfort his children: "I tell them there are no planes today, but they ask: what about tomorrow? I don't have an answer."

Abu Muhammad noted how daily life is punctuated by uncertainty.

"Sometimes the bombing lessens, but the bullets never stop. My children have never known a normal day. They ask me why our lives are always in danger, and I have no answer. Katz's words do not protect us; only violence defines our reality," he said.

"We don't need reassuring statements. We want to live without fear, but it seems that’s exactly what they don't want for us."

Ibrahim Abu Asr, a Palestinian activist from central Gaza, offers a stark assessment of Katz's statements versus the reality he observes.

"When Israel's Katz says Israel has no plans to settle Gaza, that's just words. But when we see yellow stones moving across open areas, we know they are preparing for settlements or extended control," he told TNA.

"The machinery is drawing a new map of domination. Bulldozers level land, trucks transport yellow stones, and workers clear open areas. For us, this is proof that the withdrawal Katz talks about isn't real. They are preparing for settlements or a long-term military presence, not just routine maintenance," he said.

Abu Asr emphasised that these actions are visible in neighbourhoods far from military checkpoints.

"Even in central Gaza, we see trucks moving building materials and stones as if they are mapping out the future of our land. Katz's statements are words; the reality is the opposite."

'Contradictions reflect strategy, not change'

Palestinian analysts see Katz's statements as part of a deliberate strategy. Hani al-Masri, a political analyst from Ramallah, told TNA that "Katz's remarks were not a slip of the tongue. They reflect a faction in the Israeli government that views Gaza as a space to reshape reality by force".

Al-Masri emphasised that US pressure on Katz does not indicate a policy shift.

"Israel hasn't abandoned long-term control or the use of violence as governance. The killings after the ceasefire prove that agreements are temporary covers, not binding commitments. The logic of occupation and control continues regardless of words," he said.

Ahed Ferwana, a Gaza-based analyst, warned that Israel "is betting on time. Daily violations, targeted killings, and obstruction of reconstruction send a clear message to Palestinians: stability is an illusion".

"This produces a new generation filled with anger and a desire for revenge, raised under siege and bombardment. Children grow up knowing that every truce is temporary, and every promise can be broken," he said.

Esmat Mansour, a Ramallah-based political analyst, told TNA that Israel's approach may appear to weaken Palestinians in the short term, but in reality, it lays the groundwork for future conflicts across the region.

"Failure to implement the Trump Agreement, or any alternative political formula, risks opening the gates of hell, not just in Gaza, but across the region," he said.

"When promises remain unfulfilled and agreements are ignored, frustration and resentment grow among the population. Young Palestinians, who have known nothing but occupation, violence, and unkept pledges, are being shaped into a generation that sees armed resistance and revenge as the only form of justice, he added.

"The political vacuum left by unimplemented plans only strengthens extremist narratives and diminishes hope for peaceful solutions, making long-term stability increasingly unattainable."