Israel is only at the beginning of a "revolution in settlement" building, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday, declaring that the government's expansionist ambitions would extend beyond the occupied West Bank to the Naqab and Galilee.
"I have news for you: we have just begun the revolution in settlement. We will also reach the Negev and the Galilee," Smotrich wrote on Instagram, referring to the Naqab desert and the Galilee region in northern Israel.
His comments came days after Israel's security cabinet approved the establishment of 13 new illegal settlements in the occupied central West Bank, drawing further condemnation over the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law.
Last week, Smotrich also urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to approve the establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza, where Israeli forces have steadily expanded their military control despite the October ceasefire.
The minister, who lives in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, claimed the military had "completed the groundwork to establish three settlements in the north Gaza area".
His remarks come as Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and southwestern Syria, while expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank and consolidating military control over large areas of Gaza. Gaza killings continue despite 'ceasefire' Israeli forces killed at least five Palestinians on Monday in a series of attacks on Gaza City and Khan Younis, despite the ceasefire remaining formally in place.
An Israeli drone struck a vehicle in western Khan Younis in the early hours of Monday, killing one person and wounding 15 others.
A second drone strike targeted a tent in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, killing two Palestinians. Separately, a body was recovered from the coast west of Khan Younis, The New Arab's correspondent reported.
In central Gaza, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a vehicle south of Deir al-Balah but missed its target.
Elsewhere, an Israeli helicopter strike on the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City killed a Palestinian man and his wife at dawn.
On Sunday, Israeli forces also killed two Palestinians near a water desalination plant in Gaza City.
The latest attacks come despite the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas in October.
According to Gaza's health ministry, Israeli forces have killed at least 1,072 Palestinians and wounded a further 3,643 since the truce came into effect. Another 799 bodies have also been recovered during the ceasefire period.
Since launching its war on Gaza in October 2023, Israel has killed at least 73,098 Palestinians and wounded 173,571 others, according to the ministry. Settlers rampage through Masafer Yatta village Israeli settlers wounded six Palestinians during an attack on the village of Umm al-Khair in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank on Monday.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, around 30 armed settlers entered the village under the protection of Israeli forces, assaulting residents and blocking the community's main entrance.
Israeli troops also carried out raids across the occupied West Bank, including in Ramallah and al-Bireh.
In al-Bireh, soldiers occupied the roof of a residential building overlooking the illegal Psagot settlement, maintaining control over the surrounding area.
Elsewhere, Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at residents in the towns of Beit Rima and Kafr Ein, Wafa reported.