20 Years After Gaza Withdrawal, Israel Faces a Deepening Quagmire

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Israel’s historic withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a decision that saw the dismantling of 21 Jewish settlements and the evacuation of over 8,000 settlers in 2005. Intended by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a bold move to jump-start peace talks with the Palestinians, the unilateral disengagement instead deepened divisions within Israel, empowered Hamas, and set the stage for a nearly two-year war that has left Gaza devastated and Israel entrenched in a complex conflict with no clear exit.

The 2005 disengagement, which also included the removal of four settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was a polarizing act. For some Israelis, it was a pragmatic retreat from an unsustainable military and economic burden—8,000 settlers lived amidst 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, requiring constant protection amid daily attacks.

“There was no chance for these settlements to exist or flourish or become meaningful enough to be a strategic anchor,” said Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Misgav Institute. Yet, the wrenching images of Israeli soldiers forcibly removing Jewish settlers, some burning their homes in protest, galvanized Israel’s far-right and settler movements, fueling the rise of hard-line figures like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. On Thursday, Smotrich touted a new settlement expansion east of Jerusalem, vowing to “bury” the prospect of a Palestinian state.

For Palestinians, the withdrawal offered little relief. While some welcomed the end of settlements, Israel’s control persisted through a blockade imposed with Egypt after Hamas’s 2006 election victory and subsequent violent takeover of Gaza in 2007. The blockade, varying in intensity, restricted goods and movement, impoverishing Gazans and isolating them from the West Bank. Many Palestinians, like author Mostafa Ibrahim, believe the withdrawal was a strategic move to solidify Israel’s grip on the West Bank, where over 500,000 settlers now reside in blocs with broader societal support, deemed illegal by most of the international community.

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The unilateral nature of the withdrawal, without coordination with the Palestinian Authority, boosted Hamas’s stature. “This contributed to Hamas’ win in the elections in 2006, because they leveraged it as a very significant achievement,” Michael noted, adding that it validated their armed resistance. The fallout continues to shape the region. After Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack—Israel’s worst military intelligence failure—Israel re-entered Gaza, now controlling over 75% of the territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent plan to seize Gaza City by October 7, 2025, has drawn global condemnation for its potential to worsen the humanitarian crisis and endanger hostages.

Anita Tucker, a 79-year-old former settler who helped establish Netzer Hazoni in 1976, vividly recalls the 2005 evacuation. “Obviously it was a mistake to leave. The lives of the Arabs became much worse, and the lives of the Jews became much, much worse,” she said, citing decades of rocket attacks and the 2023 assault. Despite the pain, she and her family long to return, a sentiment echoed by some right-wing politicians pushing for Gaza’s reoccupation.

Palestinians, however, see a grim future. Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, predicts Israel will maintain control through “buffer zones” to make Gaza “unlivable” and alter its demographics, aligning with Netanyahu’s controversial calls for Palestinian emigration. Mostafa Ibrahim, whose Gaza City home was destroyed, accuses Israel of reoccupying Gaza to thwart Palestinian statehood.

Former Major General Dan Harel, who oversaw the disengagement, defends the withdrawal but laments missed opportunities. Protecting Gaza’s settlers was untenable, with 10 daily attacks, including rockets and bombs. Yet, he criticizes the lack of Palestinian concessions and Israel’s post-withdrawal containment policy, which allowed Hamas to evolve into a formidable military force. “We had such a blind spot with Hamas,” he said, noting the failure to anticipate their transformation.

As Israel marks this anniversary, the war’s toll—hundreds of thousands dead, Gaza in ruins, and ongoing hostage crises—underscores the disengagement’s complex legacy. Posts on X reflect polarized sentiments, with some calling it a “colossal mistake” that enabled Hamas, while others see Netanyahu’s current plans as a dangerous escalation. With Israel poised to intensify its control, the dream of a two-state solution grows fainter, leaving both sides grappling with the enduring consequences of 2005.

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