All these cumulative acts, likely to potentially wipe Palestine off the map, are unacceptable, contrary to international law,' Maxime Prevot says

Since Israel began its onslaught in Gaza, settler groups have been calling for the resettlement of Gaza. These radicals go beyond the families that were evacuated in 2005. They include the Nachala settler organisation whose raison d'etre is establishing Jewish settlements to control the West Bank and Gaza.

The announcement appeared to stop short of saying explicitly that Israel would take full control of the Gaza Strip, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was his intention earlier.