When the former settlers arrived near the border, in proximity of about 70 meters (about 230 feet) from the settlement on the other side, they were approached by the commander of the IDF force stationed in the area, who asked them to leave the place.
It was only after a long argument between the soldiers and the evacuees that the settlers were allowed to conduct the ceremony, under the slogan "light shall overcome darkness."
For several of the participants in the candle lighting, this was the first visit since the pullout to the site where their homes used to be, and some were overwhelmed with emotions and tears.
Tom and Gal, the grandchildren of one of the ceremony's organizers, Avi Farhan, refused to leave the car and attend the service altogether.
'We will reestablish settlements'
"We are here to declare we did not forget, and that we believe light shall overcome darkness," Farhan said. "This is why we have decided to light the candles before the ruins of Elei Sinai, a few dozen meters from where my home used to stand," he explained.
According to Farhan, the evacuated settlers were very pleased with operation “Blue Skies” recently launched by the IDF in a bid to target terrorist activity in the Strip.
"We hope the army re-conquers Elei Sina, Dugit and Nisanit and that after the troops we too will be able to enter the area and reestablish our communities," Farhan stated.
Farhan also said he recently started working on forming a group of people who, according to him, will take part in resettling the Gaza communities "hopefully within one year."