Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the military to establish a camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to forcibly relocate Palestinians from other parts of the territory. Katz described the plan as a “humanitarian city,” but legal experts and academics have condemned it as a “crime against humanity.”
According to The Guardian, Palestinians in Gaza will undergo a “security screening” before being allowed into the camp, and once inside, they will not be permitted to leave. Katz stated that the area would be under Israeli military control and that initially, 600,000 Palestinians would be forcibly relocated, many of whom are already displaced in the Al-Mawasi area.
Katz argued that the entire population of Gaza would eventually be moved to this camp, and Israel aims to implement a “migration plan.”
Criticism from Legal Experts:
Prominent Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard criticized Katz’s plan, stating that it violates international law. Sfard argued that the plan is a preparation for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.
“This is an operational plan for a crime against humanity. It’s nothing less than that… This is about transferring them to the southern end of the Gaza Strip in preparation for their complete expulsion,” Sfard said.
Sfard also refuted the Israeli government’s claim that the relocations are “voluntary,” stating, “People in Gaza are under so much coercion that no departure from the Gaza Strip can be considered legally consensual.”
He added, “If you expel a person from their homeland, it is a war crime in the context of war. If it is done on a large scale, as Katz is planning, it is a crime against humanity.”
U.S. and Israel’s Search for Host Countries:
Katz announced his plan while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Katz suggested that work on the “humanitarian city” could begin during a potential ceasefire.
Netanyahu, during his visit to the White House, stated that the U.S. and Israel are working with other countries to provide Palestinians with a “better future.”
“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said.
“Neither Humanitarian Nor a City”:
Holocaust historian Prof. Amos Goldberg from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem criticized Katz’s plan, stating that it is neither humanitarian nor a city.
“A city is a place where there are opportunities for work, earning money, building connections, and freedom of movement. There are hospitals, schools, universities, and offices. That’s not what they have in mind. It won’t be a livable place, just as ‘safe zones’ don’t exist now,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg also raised concerns about what would happen if Palestinians refuse to comply with the relocation orders, asking, “What if Palestinians, who are not completely helpless, reject this solution and rebel?”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians in Gaza to camps in the south has been condemned by legal experts and academics as a “crime against humanity.” Katz’s announcement comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the future of Gaza.
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