In comments reported across Israeli media, Katz said Israel "will never leave" the devastated Palestinian territory.

His remarks come as mediators are pressing for the implementation of the next phases of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which would involve an Israeli withdrawal from the territory.

US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for the truce stated that "Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza."

Speaking at an event in the Israeli settlement of Beit El in the West Bank, Katz said: "We are deep inside Gaza, and we will never leave Gaza -- there will be no such thing."

"We are there to protect, to prevent what happened" from happening again, he added, according to a video published by Israeli news site Ynet.

Katz also vowed to establish outposts in the north of Gaza in place of settlements that had been evacuated during Israel's unilateral disengagement from the territory in 2005.

"When the time comes, God willing, we will establish in northern Gaza, Nahal outposts in place of the communities that were uprooted," Katz said, referring to military-agricultural settlements set up by Israeli soldiers.

"We will do this in the right way and at the appropriate time."

But in a statement issued shortly after, Katz's office downplayed the remarks and said they "were made solely in a security context".

"The government has no intention of establishing settlements in the Gaza Strip," it added.

The next phases of Trump's plan would involve an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the establishment of an interim authority to govern the territory in place of Hamas and the deployment of an international stabilisation force.

It also envisages the demilitarisation of Gaza, including the disarmament of Hamas, which the group has refused.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP that Katz's comments were a "clear and blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement".

Katz's comments were also slammed by former Israeli minister and army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, who accused the government of "acting against the broad national consensus, during a critical period for Israel's national security".

On Thursday, several Israelis entered the Gaza Strip in defiance of army orders and held a symbolic flag-raising ceremony to call for the reoccupation and resettlement of the territory.

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