Newly released Israeli military documents reveal that former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion wished the sea would swallow the Gaza Strip following Israel’s 1956 invasion. In closed-door meetings with senior military commanders, Ben-Gurion reportedly declared: “If I believed in miracles, I would wish the sea would swallow it,” describing Gaza as an embarrassing strategic challenge. Ben-Gurion expressed concern over Gaza’s 300,000 Palestinian residents, including approximately 190,000 refugees displaced from their homes during the 1948 Nakba, as well as growing international sympathy for Palestinians. He also feared that prolonged Israeli occupation of Gaza could deepen international isolation, and fuel military confrontation.