Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Unveils Controversial Plan to Expel Gaza's Population

Israel’s National Security Minister has presented a controversial plan to expel all Gazans to foreign countries, a policy he asserted was achievable. Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that his proposal seeks to remove 250,000 Palestinians from the strip within the first year, followed by the remaining two million population over a six-year period. He claimed that certain nations were prepared to accept Palestinians, despite Arab countries consistently rejecting the forced displacement of Gazans and refusing to participate in such schemes.

Announced during a press conference on Thursday, Mr Ben-Gvir's proposal positions him as the latest senior Israeli official to promote the removal of Gazans. Defence Minister Israel Katz noted the previous day that discussions regarding the expulsion of Gazans "by any means" remain active in Israel, though they were frozen by US President Donald Trump. A poll of 1,005 Israelis conducted by the Geocartography Knowledge Group last year indicated that 82 per cent of respondents backed the removal of Gaza’s residents. Under the Geneva Conventions, the forced transfer of civilians from occupied territory constitutes a war crime.

US Senator Chris van Hollen, a Democrat, criticized Mr Katz’s rhetoric, describing it as part of an agenda to "ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians" and called for an end to US complicity. The following day, US Congressman Greg Landsman labelled Mr Ben-Gvir "the absolute worst" after the plan was unveiled. Mr Landsman expressed hope that Israeli voters would elect a new government soon, noting that the country urgently needs a change. Israel's parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 27, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term.

The Israeli news outlet Ynet published a report declaring the plan a failure. Diplomatic correspondent Itamar Eichner wrote that, aside from generating political turmoil and severe international criticism, no country has agreed to accept immigrants from Gaza. The report also quoted an Israeli official challenging the feasibility of the plan. Meanwhile, the Israeli rights group Adalah told The National that Mr Ben-Gvir’s proposal is illegal, inhumane, and unacceptable, noting that forcible transfer amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity when executed as part of a systematic attack against civilians. Adalah lawyer Muna Haddad emphasized that the proposal reflects a pattern of escalating violations carried out with near-complete impunity.

Defending his initiative, Mr Ben-Gvir argued that critics dismissing the plan should examine his legislative track record, which includes gun reform, prison reform, the creation of emergency squads and the National Guard, and a death penalty law for terrorists. These pro-expulsion policies persist even as Mr Trump continues to support a Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction deal aimed at ending the bombing and facilitating the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. Despite these diplomatic efforts, military operations continue. In a statement delivered in Gaza on Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu affirmed that Israel will not withdraw from the strip, stating that control over 60 per cent of the territory has been established and operations will continue to eliminate threats.