clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Israel forms panel to facilitate displacement of Palestinians from Gaza 

February 19, 2025 at 8:49 am

Israel’s outgoing Foreign Minister Israel Katz during the handing over ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on November 10, 2024 [MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images]

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced yesterday the formation of a new “directorate” tasked with facilitating the “voluntary” displacement of Palestinians from the besieged Gaza Strip.

A statement issued by the Defence Ministry said Katz held an assessment on Monday on the subject of “Palestinians leaving Gaza” and decided to form the new directorate which will include representatives from various government ministries and defence bodies. “The plan includes extensive assistance that will allow any Gaza resident who wants to emigrate to a third state, to receive support that includes special departure arrangements through the sea, air, and land, among other things,” Katz’s office said.

The decision comes in the wake of the US President Donald Trump’s stated plans to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from Gaza and transform the Strip into “the Riviera of the Middle East”.

READ: More than $50bn needed to rebuild Gaza, World Bank joint assessment says