A cornerstone laying ceremony was held on Thursday evening for a new permanent community for residents of Katif, who were expelled from their homes in the 2005 disengagement from Gaza.

The new community, called Karmei Katif, will be inhabited with 34 families who were expelled from Katif and an additional 26 families from other former Gush Katif communities. Karmei Katif is located near Moshav Amatzia in the Lachish region.