Zikim Beach, a site near the northern Gaza Strip border that has been a closed military zone since the start of the war, is set to reopen to the public on Thursday. Both the beach and the military base in Zikim were attacked on October 7, 2023.
The decision to lift the ban was made by IDF Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, following an operational situation assessment. The move was approved as an “additional step in the rehabilitation of the area” and was coordinated with the Ashkelon Regional Council.
The reopening follows “significant operational activities” carried out by IDF soldiers under the Southern Command in northern Gaza, along with structured combat procedures conducted by the Southern Command and the Israeli Navy in recent weeks. The IDF affirmed that its troops under the Southern Command will continue operating to protect residents of the western Negev.
How Hamas terrorists infiltrated Zikim Beach on October 7
The popular beach, located near the area where Hamas terrorists launched an attack from the sea on October 7, 2023, resulting in the murder of 17 civilians, has undergone major renovations. The IDF stated that “every effort was made to ensure that the beach is opened to the public in the safest and most effective manner.”
During the attack, Hamas terrorists reportedly infiltrated the naval barrier via several speedboats, launching an assault on civilian beachgoers in addition to raiding the nearby military base.
Construction to rebuild what was destroyed on October 7 began in April 2024 after the Tekuma “Rebirth” Council allotted some NIS 4 million for beachside construction out of NIS 15 million allotted to the Ashkelon Regional Council.
The reopening is seen by local authorities as a symbolic step toward restoring normalcy and emphasizing “that life in the Tekuma region [the area affected by the October 7 onslaught] is getting back on track.”