Settlers living on Gaza's border seek refuge in Galilee

The departure of settler families from the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip to the Galilee is ongoing since the recent assault on the Strip, Israeli newspaper Maariv said.

The newspaper pointed out that the majority of families in the areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip left their homes and moved to the northern region of Galilee in light of the deteriorating security situation and the fear of a repeat of the war.

Maariv said the residents of the kibbutzim feared Palestinian fighters would enter their properties through underground tunnels.

One settler was quoted as saying: “We are not ready for a new round of military confrontation with the Gaza Strip, and we cannot face another round of fear and terror, such as those that lasted 51 days.”

He said he began searching for a safe, permanent home for his family in the Galilee, away from the rockets and mortars.