Israel's defense minister has instructed the military to formulate plans facilitating the "voluntary" exit of Palestinians from Gaza. This directive follows suggestions from a former US president regarding the possibility of the US administering the territory and resettling its inhabitants elsewhere.
The plan, as outlined by Israeli officials, would encompass various departure options, including land, air, and sea routes. While framing it as ensuring "freedom of movement and migration" for Gazans, the implications point towards a one-way exodus.
Prior to the recent conflict, Israel's stringent control over Gaza's borders severely restricted Palestinian travel. These restrictions intensified after hostilities began, and crossings were effectively closed when Israeli forces operated near the Rafah crossing in May.
A component of the ceasefire agreement involved medical evacuations from Gaza. While some sick children were allowed to leave, tragically, some passed away before they could be evacuated, and others were too ill to be moved.
The former US president's proposal to transform Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" sparked international condemnation, including a warning from the UN secretary general against any form of ethnic cleansing. Forced displacement constitutes a crime against humanity and violates international conventions to which both Israel and the US are signatories.
In a recent social media post, the former US president suggested that Israel would relinquish control of Gaza to the US following the conflict, asserting that no US military presence would be required. He further proposed that Palestinians be resettled in "safer and more beautiful communities" with modern housing.
These proposals have been met with anger and disbelief by Palestinians in Gaza, who reject any attempts at forced displacement. Memories of the Nakba of 1948, during which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the creation of Israel, fuel their determination to resist further displacement.
The Israeli defense minister also called upon countries such as Spain, Norway, and Ireland to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza. These nations, which formally recognized a Palestinian state last year, were swiftly rebuffed. Spain's foreign minister emphasized that while Palestinians needing urgent support would be welcome, "Gaza is the land of the people of Gaza" and should be part of a future Palestinian state.
Within Israel, the far right has embraced the former US president's comments, viewing them as justification for their long-held advocacy for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the establishment of Jewish settlements there.
One legislator even described a vision of Jewish Israeli children playing in Gaza. Her party has conditioned its return to the coalition government on the implementation of plans to remove Palestinian residents from Gaza.
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