Israel Orders Military to Plan for ‘Voluntary Departure’ of Gazans Following Trump’s Plan
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RDA Gulf Correspondent
- . February 6, 2025
- . Update: February 6, 2025 8:47 pm
According to Israel’s defence minister, he has given the army instructions to make arrangements for a mass evacuation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in accordance with President Donald Trump’s strategy for the war-torn region. Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said the plan “will include options for exit at land crossings as well as special arrangements for exit by sea and air.”
He said he welcomed Trump’s “bold plan, which could allow a large population in Gaza to leave for various places in the world.” He made no mention of whether Palestinians would ever be allowed to return to Gaza which Israel’s 15 month military assault against Hamas has essentially declared uninhabitable.
Trump suggested on Wednesday that until the US rebuilds Gaza, the majority of its citizens has to be “permanently” relocated somewhere.
Palestinians worry that Israel will never permit them to return by escalating and sustaining a refugee issue. It dates back to the state’s founding despite US officials later claiming the move would only be temporary.
The Palestinians and a large portion of the international community vehemently opposed Trump’s idea. It would actually violate international law by resulting in forced relocation.
