Is Israel occupying Gaza? The history of Gush Katif and the 2005 Disengagement Plan

Is Israel occupying Gaza?

This is a question (that some people unfamiliar with the history of this area have turned into a statement) that in the past year has created a lot of confusion.

Yes, there were Israelis living in what today is the Gaza Strip.

But in 2005, they were expelled from the land under the Disengagement Plan promoted by the former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, aiming to find peace and balance with the neighbors.

So no, there is currently not a single Israeli living in Gaza. Yes, Israel imposes some regulations on the Strip, but no, it is not occupying it.

The area where Israelis lived within the Gaza Strip is the so-called Gush Katif, which was more than just a cluster of villages: it was a testament to innovation and a deep-rooted connection to the land.

When people think of this area today, they often see headlines filled with conflict. But for decades, Gush Katif was a place where Israelis transformed sand into fertile fields, fostering agriculture and international trade.

Photo exhibition at the Gush Katif Museum, Jerusalem.

Turning sand into life

Imagine standing on a stretch of arid land filled only with rocks and sand. In the early days of Gush Katif, this was the reality faced by the Israelis who arrived with a dream and the determination to make it flourish. Against all odds, they turned this inhospitable land into one of Israel’s most productive agricultural hubs, creating an excellent model of agricultural success:

• 25,000 dunams of orchards, vegetables, potatoes, and peanuts covered the landscape.

• Over 3,500 dunams of greenhouses that produced flowers, vegetables, and bug-free leafy greens.

• The region contributed 10% of Israel's entire agricultural output.

• 65% of the country's organic greenhouse vegetables for export came from Gush Katif.

Advanced techniques, innovative irrigation systems, and hard work transformed what should have been impossible into a thriving, green oasis.

A community rooted in the land

The people of Gush Katif were not merely settlers: the Jewish presence in Gaza dates back to 1200 BCE when Judah conquered Gaza. After that, a succession of events led to the continuous settlement and expulsion of Jews from the land until Israel conquered the Gaza Strip in 1967 during the Six-Day War, marking the beginning of 38 years of Israeli administration.

Families built their lives here, raising children who knew the scent of fresh soil and the rhythm of agricultural seasons. They established schools, synagogues, and neighborhoods where life thrived despite the shadows of conflict.

Life in Gush Katif was vibrant, yet always marked by a sense of fragility. Between 2002 and 2005, more than 5,500 mortar shells and Kassam rockets were fired at these villages. Even with the constant threat, the people decided to stay.

The Disengagement: dreams uprooted

On August 17, 2005, after years of attacks, the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon introduced the Disengagement Plan, aiming to pull Israelis out of Gaza, leave the territory to the Palestinian Authority, and find a balance with the Arab population living in the area.

Over the course of one week, approximately 8.000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes, leading to moments of despair among the citizens who had invested their souls in the creation and prosperity of the area. Everyone strongly opposed the army’s efforts to remove them from Gush Katif, refusing to believe they were leaving for the last time.

One of the most poignant symbols of this forced farewell was the Netzarim Menorah. Residents of Netzarim, carrying their synagogue’s menorah on their shoulders, marched to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. As thousands welcomed them, the image of the menorah - once lighting a synagogue in Gaza - became a symbol of faith unbroken."When we brought the Menorah to Jerusalem, we wanted to show the entire world that the light of Gush Katif was not extinguished."

At its inauguration, the menorah was brought to the Gush Katif Museum in Jerusalem, where it still resides today.

Fields left in ashes

In the days that followed, the synagogues and greenhouses left behind were looted or destroyed. The orchards that once yielded vibrant crops were reduced to barren plots. Years of innovation, hard work, and prosperity were wiped away in a matter of days.The forced evacuation of Gush Katif wasn't just about leaving homes, it was about uprooting lives and dreams. It was about saying goodbye to a place where sweat and tears turned sand into life.

The legacy of the Gush Katif

Today, the story of Gush Katif is a reminder of what can be achieved through dedication and resilience. The agricultural success of Gush Katif lives on in the memories of those who worked the land and in the legacy they carry forward.

It showed the world that even in the most unlikely of places, life can flourish. And even when that life is taken away, the seeds of resilience remain.