Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has unveiled a plan to forcibly remove all Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and send them abroad, according to an online report by The Guardian published Friday (Sept. 4).
Speaking ahead of Israel’s upcoming election, Ben-Gvir said 250,000 Palestinians would be removed from Gaza in the first year, with the remainder of the territory’s roughly 2 million residents relocated over the following six years.
Calling the plan realistic, Ben-Gvir said several countries were ready to accept Palestinians from Gaza, though he did not name them.
The Guardian said the Israeli minister’s proposal is contained in a 20-page document titled the “National Action Plan for Voluntary Emigration from the Gaza Strip.” Although the document uses the word “voluntary,” it is expected that the international community will view it as a coercive plan.
Before Ben-Gvir’s remarks, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had said Tel Aviv was seeking approval from the Trump administration for the removal of Palestinians from Gaza. He said Palestinians would be helped to leave the territory “by any means.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would not withdraw from the areas of Gaza it currently occupies, claiming Israel now controls 60% of the territory.
The Israeli military’s deputy chief of general staff, Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, put the figure at 65%.
Under the Geneva Conventions, the forcible displacement of civilians from occupied territory can be considered a war crime.
Opinion polls suggest Ben-Gvir’s party, Jewish Power, could win around seven seats in Israel’s election set for October.