Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has presented a proposal for the systematic expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The plan targets the removal of approximately 250,000 Palestinians during the initial twelve-month period, with the remaining population of roughly 2 million to follow over a six-year timeline. Ben-Gvir asserted that the proposal is achievable and claimed certain countries have expressed willingness to accept Palestinian migrants, though he did not identify them.
The initiative, formally titled “National Work Plan for Voluntary Emigration from the Gaza Strip,” contradicts international legal standards. The forced displacement of civilian populations in occupied territories constitutes a war crime under the Geneva conventions. International observers note that despite the plan’s use of the term “voluntary,” the proposal would function as coercive given the severe humanitarian conditions in Gaza and Ben-Gvir’s explicit stated objective. The Jewish Power party, which Ben-Gvir leads, intends to demand “a ministry in charge of emigration” during coalition negotiations for the next government. Ben-Gvir characterized the proposal as concrete and the product of substantial prior planning.
The expulsion proposal coincides with similar statements from Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, who indicated that Israel seeks approval from the Trump administration for Palestinian displacement from Gaza. Katz stated that Israel would facilitate emigration “by any means,” signaling a coercive approach. These announcements emerge ahead of Israeli elections in October, with polling indicating that Jewish Power would gain approximately seven parliamentary seats. Ben-Gvir, who holds convictions for incitement to racism and support for terrorist organizations and faces sanctions from various countries, has made multiple inflammatory statements targeting his far-right constituency.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a military installation in Gaza to reaffirm that Israel maintains permanent control over occupied territories. Netanyahu stated that Israel controls 60 percent of the territory and will continue eliminating what he characterized as threats. Israel’s deputy chief of general staff reported that Israeli forces currently control 65 percent of Gaza, exceeding the 53 percent specified in a ceasefire agreement negotiated previously.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI