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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that he had directed the military to develop plans for the mass departure of Palestinians from Gaza, in line with U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for the war-torn region.
Why It Matters
On Tuesday, Trump suggested at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., that the U.S. should "take over" Gaza and "own it." The president envisioned redeveloping the territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East" and proposed resettling its Palestinian population permanently.
The proposal drew widespread condemnation from Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Israel's 15-month-long military campaign against Hamas, launched in response to the group's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel has left large parts of Gaza uninhabitable.
What To Know
On X, formerly Twitter, Katz wrote, "I have instructed the IDF to prepare a plan that will allow any resident of Gaza who wishes to leave to do so, to any country willing to receive them."
He added that the plan would outline options for exit through land crossings and special arrangements for departures by sea and air.
He said he welcomed Trump's "bold initiative, which can create extensive opportunities for those in Gaza who wish to leave."
While Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has not issued a formal response to Trump's proposal, Egyptian officials, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Cairo had strongly opposed the plan in private discussions with U.S. and Israeli officials.
One Egyptian official said messages of resistance had been conveyed to the Pentagon, the State Department and members of Congress. Another said the warning had also been delivered to Israel and its Western European allies, including Britain, France and Germany.
A Western diplomat in Cairo confirmed that Egypt saw the plan as a direct threat to its national security. The diplomat added that Egypt had previously rejected similar relocation proposals from the Biden administration and European countries during the early stages of the war.
On Wednesday, U.S. officials walked back Trump's remarks, saying the relocation would be temporary.
What People Are Saying
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a trip to Guatemala on Wednesday: "The only thing President Trump has done—very generously, in my view—is offer the United States' willingness to step in, clear the debris, clean the place up from all the destruction that's on the ground … So in the interim, obviously people are going to have to live somewhere while you're rebuilding."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Thursday: "Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have falsely accused Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow Gazans to enter their territory. Their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse."
A spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs told Newsweek: "Ireland, the EU and international partners have been consistently clear that there can be no forced displacement of the civilian population of Gaza, nor occupation of the strip by Israel. The objective must be a massive scale up of aid into Gaza, return of basic services and a clear framework under which those displaced can return. Any comments to the contrary are unhelpful and a source of distraction."
Norway's deputy foreign minister Andreas Kravik said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Palestine is the homeland of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian people have a fundamental, independent right to self-determination and their own state ... The forced transfer of civilians from occupied territories to other countries is prohibited under international law."
Newsweek has contacted the Spanish government's information office in London for comment.
What Happens Next
Katz didn't clarify whether Palestinians would be allowed to return to Gaza in the future.
This article contains reporting by the Associated Press.
Update, 02/06/2025, 06:59 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Ireland's DFA spokesperson and Andreas Kravik
About the writer
Daniel Orton is an editor on the live news team at Newsweek, based in London, U.K. He was previously a ... Read more