Israel and US Propose Plan to Move Gaza's Population to Humanitarian City
, Sparking Controversy
Israel and the US have reportedly proposed a controversial plan to relocate the entire Palestinian population of Gaza to a proposed Humanitarian City
, according to multiple sources. The plan has come under heavy criticism from human rights activists and Palestinians, who denounce it as a violation of international law and a potential crime against humanity.
The Plan
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the US and Israel, proposed the creation of Humanitarian Transit Areas
inside and possibly outside Gaza to house the Palestinian population, according to a proposal reviewed by Reuters. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has been quoted in numerous reports, including those from Middle East Eye and Russia Today, confirming the plan to move the Palestinian population to this city, which would be built on the ruins of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
The plan, valued at $2bn and created after 11 February, was submitted to the Trump administration and recently discussed at the White House, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The areas are described as large scale
places where the population in Gaza could temporarily reside, deradicalize, re-integrate and prepare to relocate if they wish to do so
.
The Details
According to Israeli Defense Minister Katz, the humanitarian city
would initially accommodate around 600,000 Palestinians, mainly displaced persons living in the coastal Mawasi area northwest of Rafah. However, the eventual aim is to relocate all of the estimated 2.2 million Gazans into the city.
Israel plans to secure the city from a distance with its military and run it through unspecified international bodies, as reported by Russia Today. Palestinians would not be allowed to leave the city unless they choose to emigrate to other countries.
Reactions and Implications
The proposal has been met with widespread criticism, with some likening the city to an internment camp. Critics warn of potential human rights abuses and argue that confining the population in this way would violate international law.
Human rights activists and Palestinians expressed alarm after the announcement of the plan. CBC News reported that critics say the plan amounts to crimes against humanity.
Al Jazeera English reported that Palestinians continue to flock to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites, despite hundreds being killed by Israeli forces. This situation underlines the dire circumstances in which many Gazans find themselves, adding further urgency to the debate surrounding the proposed Humanitarian City
.
Current Status
At present, the proposal remains a contentious issue. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have reportedly discussed the possibility of expelling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, a region where Palestinians have lived for generations, according to Folha de S.Paulo. The future of Gaza and its inhabitants remains uncertain.