Israel’s plan to establish an authority overseeing the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza sparked swift condemnation Monday from rights activists and foreign governments, who likened it to forced displacement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel’s Security Cabinet had approved the proposal, placing the new body under the Defense Ministry’s jurisdiction.
The initiative, officials said, aims to coordinate “safe and controlled” emigration of Gazans to third countries.
The move comes as tensions rise over U.S.-backed proposals to forcibly resettle Gaza’s 2.2 million residents in neighboring Arab nations and transform the war-ravaged enclave into a regional tourism hub – an idea widely rejected by Israel’s Arab neighbors, particularly Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza.
The announcement was met with sharp criticism from human rights groups and foreign governments.
Israeli activist organization Peace Now labeled it “an indelible stain on Israel,” warning that when people are displaced by war and blockade, their departure is anything but voluntary.
“If life in a certain place is made impossible by bombing and siege, there is nothing ‘voluntary’ about people leaving,” the group wrote on X.
Germany also voiced alarm, saying it had yet to fully assess Israel’s plan but found its implications disturbing. “If this involves setting up an authority with the aim of permanent expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, that is unacceptable and must be condemned,” a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
The German government also rebuked Israel for recognizing 13 new West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. “We sharply condemn this decision,” the ministry added, stressing that continued settlement expansion undermines any prospects for a two-state solution.
Jordan joined the chorus of criticism, decrying both the Gaza resettlement plan and Israel’s broader settlement policies.
The Foreign Ministry in Amman called the measures a “blatant violation of international law” and accused Israel of attempting to erase the Palestinian presence from its land.
Jordan, which hosts one of the world’s highest refugee populations per capita, has long been a key voice in Palestinian affairs.
An estimated 30–40% of Jordanians have Palestinian roots, including Queen Rania.
The kingdom, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, has repeatedly opposed any forced relocation of Palestinians.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had previously instructed military planners to explore ways to implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for Gaza’s depopulation.
Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over Gaza’s war-weary population following a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes that shattered a temporary cease-fire with Hamas.
Hundreds have been killed since fighting resumed, with thousands more displaced, adding to the devastation of a war that has raged since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, incursion on southern Israel.
