Israel’s defence minister has instructed the military to develop plans for Palestinians “who wish to leave” Gaza, following US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for American administration of the territory.
Defence Minister Israel Katz announced via social media platform X that the plans would encompass land, air and sea routes, emphasising Palestinians’ “right to freedom of movement and migration”, though indicating movement would be permitted in one direction only.
The announcement comes as Trump suggested the United States would take control of Gaza after the current conflict, proposing to transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” and resettle its Palestinian residents in other countries.
UN Secretary General António Guterres warned against “any form of ethnic cleansing“, whilst Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares firmly rejected Israeli demands to accept Palestinians, stating “Gaza is the land of the people of Gaza”.
Prior to the conflict, Gaza residents faced strict Israeli movement controls. These intensified after fighting began, with passage through the Rafah crossing becoming impossible after Israeli military operations commenced nearby last May.
The proposal has garnered support from Israel’s far-right, with legislator Limor Son Har-Melech praising Trump’s vision.
However, Palestinians in Gaza have expressed firm opposition, citing historical trauma from the 1948 displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians following Israel’s creation.
International law experts note that forced or coerced displacement constitutes a crime against humanity under the Geneva Conventions, to which both Israel and the United States are signatories.
A recent ceasefire agreement enabled medical evacuations from Gaza, with the first group of ill children departing on Saturday, though two died before evacuation and others became too unwell to travel.
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