DM Katz orders IDF to prepare for voluntary emigration of Gaza residents

While IDF troops in Gaza are maintaining a security presence during the first phase of the hostage release ceasefire deal, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued an instruction to the military to draw a plan and begin making preparations for the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from Gaza. 

The defense minister’s directive comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that the United States would “take over Gaza.” 

“I welcome the bold plan of the president,” 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."

According to Hebrew media reports, Katz’s plan would provide for emigration through land crossings, as well as “special arrangements” for departure via sea or air. 

Katz also highlighted the apparent contradiction between some Western countries that have accused Israel of war crimes against the Palestinians but do not want to grant the Palestinians refugee status in their own countries. 

“Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have made false accusations and charges against Israel because of its activity in Gaza, are obligated by every law to allow any resident of Gaza to enter their territory, and their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse to do so," Katz continued. "There are countries like Canada, which has an organized immigration program, that in the past expressed a desire to absorb residents from Gaza.” 

Katz reiterated Israel’s insistence, shared by the Trump administration, that Gaza be free from Hamas control and no longer present a threat to Israel. 

“President Trump's bold plan could create extensive options for the departure of a population from Gaza who would be interested in doing so, and also help them be optimally absorbed in the target countries, as well as enable the advancement of reconstruction plans in a demilitarized and threat-free Gaza in the post-Hamas era – which will last for many years,” Katz remarked. 

Since the beginning of the war, Israeli leaders have stated their desire for Arab countries, particularly Egypt or Jordan, to take in Gaza evacuees.

While Israel hoped this would limit Hamas' ability to use Gaza civilians as human shields and mitigate the humanitarian crisis in the Strip amid ongoing fighting, it recognized strong opposition from Egypt and Jordan.

In recent months, the government began working on a plan to allow limited, voluntary emigration from Gaza and contacted a third, unnamed country. However, this plan was much simpler than Trump’s proposal on Tuesday.  

Despite strong opposition from many Arab governments, recent interviews featuring Arabic-speaking Israeli reporters with residents of Gaza, as well as videos posted on social media by several Gaza residents, indicate that Trump’s proposal has some support among the civilian population, who see the destruction of Gaza firsthand.