Israel Says Gaza Emigration Plan Ready but Awaiting US Backing
JERUSALEM — WEB DESK: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says Israel remains prepared to facilitate the large-scale departure of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip but that the controversial proposal cannot move forward without US backing and countries willing to receive them.
Speaking Wednesday at a conference hosted by Israeli news site Ynet and newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Katz said Israel had established mechanisms to move Palestinians out of Gaza by sea, air or other routes if the plan were activated.
Katz argued that there was “no real solution for Gaza” without migration and claimed that 80% of Gaza residents wanted to leave, citing unspecified Israeli surveys. The claim could not be independently verified from the evidence presented with his remarks.
Katz Says Trump Has ‘Frozen’ Rather Than Cancelled Plan
Katz said US President Donald Trump had not permanently abandoned the idea but had instead “frozen” it amid pressure from Arab governments.
According to Katz, the proposal continues to be discussed and would require Washington’s support because potential destination countries want US backing before agreeing to receive Palestinians.
The US embassy referred requests for comment on Katz’s latest remarks to the State Department, according to reporting carried by AFP.
That distinction is important: Katz’s comments do not establish that Washington has approved a new plan to relocate Gaza’s population.
Nor did the Israeli minister announce a date for implementing such a policy.
Trump Previously Proposed Relocating Gaza Residents
Trump proposed in February 2025 that Palestinians leave Gaza while the devastated territory was redeveloped. The proposal triggered widespread international opposition, including objections from Palestinians and key Arab governments.
Israel subsequently established a Defence Ministry directorate tasked with facilitating what Israeli officials called “voluntary emigration.”
Trump later moved away from the proposal. His October 2025 Gaza peace plan instead pledged to encourage Palestinians to remain and provide opportunities to rebuild the territory.
Katz, however, said Wednesday that Israel’s emigration mechanism remains organised and ready if political conditions change.
He said Egypt was unwilling to allow such movement through its territory, making other destination countries and alternative routes essential to any Israeli plan.
Forced Displacement Raises Serious Legal Questions
The terminology surrounding the proposal requires particular care.
Israeli officials have described the policy as voluntary emigration, while Palestinians and critics have argued that moving people from a territory devastated by war and under severe humanitarian pressure cannot necessarily be considered genuinely voluntary. Critics have described proposals for mass Palestinian removal as forced displacement or ethnic cleansing.
Under international humanitarian law, the forcible transfer or deportation of protected civilians from occupied territory is generally prohibited except in narrowly defined circumstances, such as temporary evacuation required for civilian security or imperative military reasons.
For that reason, whether departures could legally qualify as voluntary would depend heavily on the circumstances, including whether Palestinians had a genuine choice to remain safely in Gaza.
The publication-ready version therefore avoids presenting either “voluntary migration” or “expulsion” as an uncontested factual description of a policy that has not yet been implemented.
No Destination Countries Announced
One of the largest practical obstacles remains where Palestinians would go.
Katz acknowledged that countries have not agreed to receive Gaza’s population on the scale envisioned and said American support would be necessary to persuade potential host states.
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, has consistently opposed mass Palestinian displacement into its territory.
Katz did not publicly identify any country that had formally agreed to receive large numbers of Palestinians under the plan.
This means Israel’s preparations should not be interpreted as evidence that a mass transfer is imminent.
Netanyahu Says Israel Will Remain in Gaza Territory It Controls
Katz’s remarks came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an Israeli military position inside Gaza and said Israel did not intend to withdraw from territory it currently controls.
Netanyahu said Israel controlled around 60% of the Gaza Strip and reiterated that disarming Hamas and demilitarising Gaza remained Israeli objectives.
The territorial issue remains a major point of dispute under the US-backed ceasefire framework.
Despite the ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, Israeli military operations have continued. On September 1, Israeli special forces captured a senior Hamas internal-security official during an operation in Gaza City, while Palestinian medics reported civilian deaths during accompanying Israeli strikes.
Gaza Plan Remains Political Proposal, Not Approved Operation
Katz suggested that Israel could seek a broader US “green light” if Hamas failed to meet commitments under the current framework, including for military and territorial measures.
But his remarks should not be interpreted as confirmation that Trump has already authorised Palestinian relocation.
The current position is narrower: Israel’s defence minister says preparations exist, believes the proposal remains under discussion, and says implementation would require US backing and countries willing to accept Palestinians.
There is currently no publicly confirmed US approval, implementation date or agreement with destination countries.
