DEBORA PATTA:
00:00:33
Israeli finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calls this the demolition phase. Over 90% of homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Now, he says, it's time to build. Smotrich leads an ultra-right-wing settler party that's part of the ruling coalition keeping Netanyahu in power, and he makes no attempt to hide his ambition to annex Gaza. [INAUDIBLE] are true believers, giving up their home in the occupied West Bank to move here, just under six miles from the Gazan border. So what happens to the Palestinians who are living in Gaza? [SPEAKING HEBREW]
INTERPRETER:
00:01:19
There is no such thing as Palestinian. It's an invention. [SPEAKING HEBREW]
INTERPRETER:
00:01:24
I don't want to kill anyone, but either they understand we are the rulers here or they must go.
DEBORA PATTA:
00:01:30
And the war, they say, has given them the perfect opportunity to take land they believe was given to them by God. I want you to imagine that there are also Palestinians who will say, we're just ordinary families who want to stay here and live our lives. [SPEAKING HEBREW]
INTERPRETER:
00:01:49
Firstly, this is not their land. Secondly, we don't deal with the enemy. And thirdly, take your things and go. You committed a crime.
DEBORA PATTA:
00:01:59
The proposed US deal makes it very clear that Israel cannot occupy or annex Gaza. [SPEAKING HEBREW]
INTERPRETER:
00:02:08
It's God's will. We will settle Gaza. It may take a month, a year, 10 years. It doesn't matter. Just over half of Israelis oppose annexing Gaza, according to a recent poll, but those who actively support it have the backing of powerful politicians who could collapse Netanyahu's government if they don't get what they want.
