Israel forms new agency to facilitate voluntary emigration of Gaza residents under Trump's Gaza plan

Following a discussion with IDF and senior defense ministry officials, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Monday the formation of a new agency tasked with facilitating the process to allow Gaza residents, who wish to leave the enclave, to emigrate to a third country. 

According to a statement by the Defense Ministry, the new agency “is expected to include representatives from other government ministries and bodies of the defense establishment”, including the IDF and its COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) unit ,and will coordinate the process allowing the transfer of the residents seeking to emigrate.

The new agency will deal only with residents who wish to leave Gaza voluntarily. The administration, along with Israeli security bodies, will conduct controlled registration and strict security checks to ensure that no known terrorists are allowed leave Gaza. 

Katz emphasized that this is a process of voluntary transfer and in full coordination with the United States and a third country that will agree to absorb them. Currently, Israel and the United States are already in talks with several countries which have quietly indicated a willingness to receive some Gaza residents. 

The meeting included COGAT Head Maj. Gen. Rasan Elian, PMO Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, Katz's Military Secretary Brig. Gen. Guy Markizano, IDF Gaza Humanitarian Operations Chief Brig. Gen. Elad Goren, and other officials. 

Katz had previously asked the IDF to draw up a plan and begin making preparations for the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from Gaza. 

At that time, Katz said, “The residents of Gaza must be allowed to enjoy freedom of exit and emigration, as is customary everywhere in the world. Hamas used the residents of Gaza as human shields and built terror infrastructures in the heart of the population, and now it is holding them hostage, extorting money from them using humanitarian aid, and preventing them from leaving Gaza.” 

Reportedly, Israel will oversee the entire process – from the stage of leaving Gaza until reaching the third country. Gaza residents will leave the Gaza Strip by land through the Kerem Shalom crossing, by air via the Ramon Airport near Eilat, or by sea, through the port of Ashdod.

The plan calls for the establishment of a transportation system able to transport residents to the crossings, and the adaptation of the infrastructure to handle thousands of people at once. 

The announcement comes in the background of a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump for the voluntary emigration of Gaza residents along with a US takeover of the Gaza Strip. 

In recent weeks, President Trump made several statements regarding his plans for the Gaza Strip. During a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month, Trump announced his controversial plan is to evacuate all Gaza residents from the Gaza Strip to Arab countries in the region.

During the joint press conference with Netanyahu, Trump revealed the U.S. would take ownership of the Gaza Strip and oversee the clean up and rebuilding of the Strip. 

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Netanyahu reaffirmed his support for Trump’s Gaza proposal, stating that neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority will take control of the enclave. 

“Just as I have committed to, on the day after the war in Gaza, there will be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, I am committed to US President Trump's plan for the creation of a different Gaza," read the statement from Netanyahu's office. 

Prior to the announcement of Trump's proposal, the Israeli government had been involved in discussions with Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab states regarding the management of the Gaza Strip after the war, while the Palestinian population would remain in the enclave. 

While Trump suggested that both Jordan and Egypt could accept Palestinians, the two countries have so far publicly denied their willingness to do so. Egypt recently announced a counter proposal to Trump's plan.