Israel Plans to Remove Palestinians From Gaza

Photo: AP

Israeli Defence Minister ordered the Israeli Army to draft a plan for the removal of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, following US President Donald Trump's proposal about how the destroyed territory would be managed.

I've instructed the army to prepare a plan to enable voluntary evacuation of Gaza's” residents, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Thursday, adding that they can go “in any country you want to accept them”.

Minister Katz said the plan “will include options for land exits and crossings, as well as a separate deal for sea and air evacuation”.

Mr. Katz welcomed President Trump's bold “plan for moving residents from Gaza, destroyed by Israeli land and air attacks targeting Hamas militants.

President Trump on Thursday said Israel should hand over the Gaza Strip to the United States after the end of the war with Hamas and that there would be no need for American soldiers for that.

President Trump, who has called for the deployment of Gaza under the control of the United States, published his plan on the Fifth Social Network. Under his plan, he said, more than 2 million Palestinians “would be placed in much safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region”.

Mr. Trump did not say whether this included the Gaza region or whether countries and the region have agreed to accept it.

They would actually have a chance to be happy, secure and free”, He said.

Meanwhile, Hamas on Thursday called on all Palestinian factions to join against President Trump's proposal for Gaza's takeover.

Mr. Trump said earlier this week he could imagine sending American troops to Gaza to facilitate American control, but said in another post later that with the surrender of the territory from Israel, “would not need soldiers from the United States! Stability for the region would reign! ”

Mr. Trump's surprise plan for taking Gaza, announced earlier this week at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, has been widely criticised by allies and opponents of the United States, many of whom repeat commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

The two-state solution has been a long stand by the United States, but it is opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Gaza has been destroyed by war over a year between Israel and Hamas.

But in his new comments, President Trump said: “The United States, working with large development teams from around the world, would slowly and carefully begin building what would become one of the largest and most spectacular development projects on Earth”.

On Tuesday, President Trump said a developed Gaza would become the “Middle East Revolution”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered support to President Trump's plan on Thursday, saying the Gaza Belt “is not habitable” due to unbroken weapons and other risks. He added that people would have to live elsewhere as the region is rebuilt.

Secretary Guterres: Do Not Make the Problem Worse

President Trump's proposal has faced widespread criticism, including from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

“In the search for solutions, we should not exacerbate the problem” by removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, Mr. Guterres said. It is of vital importance to remain faithful to the foundation of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing”.

Forced transfer of the population is strictly prohibited under international law and could constitute ethnic cleansing.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Wednesday that President Trump “proposals cause deep concern to some people, even horror” and would be Unacceptable “under international law”.

The 22-member Arab League said the plan of President Trump “represents a recipe for instability” and would not advance Palestinian citizenship prospects.

“They should be allowed in their homes” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday.

“They should be allowed to rebuild their country and we should be with them in this process, on the road to a two-state solution. ”

Following President Trump's suggestion for control over Gaza, Australia, China, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Spain said they continue to support a solution of two states.

The militant group Hamas that the United States has defined as a terrorist organisation said President Trump's proposal for Gaza was a <x0-recetics for creating chaos and tension in the region. Instead of holding Israel responsible for the crime of genocide and shift, it is rewarded, not punishable by”.

The Gaza wars have been halted, in addition to the occasional attacks, as the six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues.

Hamas is believed to still hold about 60 living prisoners.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, militants freed 18 hostages, while Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

More people would be released in the coming weeks, and negotiators are working on details of a planned second phase of the ceasefire that would end the conflict, release the remaining hostages and see Israeli troops pulled out of Gaza.

Some information on this article was obtained from news agencies Associated Presse, Agence France-Presse) and Reuters. / VOA