Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that the government remains committed to removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a conference hosted by the publication Ynet on Wednesday, Katz described the depopulation of the territory—often referred to by officials as voluntary “immigration” or “migration”—as the “only solution” for the region.
Katz acknowledged that while the United States has not abandoned the proposal, President Donald Trump has currently “frozen” it. He noted that the plan is a subject of ongoing discussion, adding, “I think that ultimately there is no other solution, for everyone’s benefit. But for that to happen, we need the United States, and the moment will come.”
The minister’s comments have drawn sharp criticism from US lawmakers. Senator Chris Van Hollen, who previously warned of potential ethnic cleansing alongside Senator Jeff Merkley following a visit to the Gaza-Egypt border, stated that the defense minister’s remarks confirm those fears. “Now the Israeli Minister of Defense confirmed that’s the goal,” Van Hollen wrote online, calling for an end to US complicity.
Earlier in his presidency, Trump had supported the idea of depopulating Gaza, suggesting the US could take control of the enclave once Palestinians were removed. This proposal faced significant backlash from regional allies. Consequently, Trump sponsored a 12-point ceasefire agreement that explicitly guaranteed the right of Palestinians to remain on their land, stating, “No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.”
Despite the ceasefire, which took effect in October 2025, Israel has continued to restrict aid and block reconstruction efforts while maintaining near-daily military operations. In July, Trump proposed a plan to disarm Hamas, which included an Israeli withdrawal and an end to hostilities, but Israel rejected the terms, demanding full demilitarization before making any concessions.
Katz expressed readiness to seize control of Gaza “by sea, by air and by any means,” though he faces resistance from Egypt, which has refused to accept Palestinian refugees. The Israeli government’s stance remains a point of intense international scrutiny.
Over the past three years, the United States has provided approximately $25 billion in military aid to Israel. Washington has also consistently defended the Israeli government in international forums, including the imposition of sanctions against officials from the International Criminal Court who were investigating alleged atrocities within the Palestinian territory.
Rights advocates have long argued that the underlying objective of the ongoing conflict is the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. While the official ceasefire agreement promised that “we will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza,” the defense minister’s recent admission highlights a persistent divide between the stated diplomatic commitments and the government’s internal strategic goals. The report also notes that including governments allied with Washington, the proposal was met with outrage from Middle Eastern countries.
Source: Al Jazeera
