Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel is prepared to execute a plan to remove the majority of the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip, aligning with a proposal initially put forward by former U.S. President Donald Trump. In an interview with Israeli media on Wednesday, Katz asserted that there is no viable alternative to what he termed "migration" of Gaza's residents.
Katz, a vocal proponent of the plan, claimed that Israel has devised mechanisms for the departure of Palestinians by sea, air, and land, awaiting only a green light from Washington. "There is no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration," he told Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. He added that "80% [of Palestinians in Gaza] want to migrate; it’s checked constantly in surveys," though he did not specify which surveys he referenced.
Contested claims and international condemnation
The proposal, which Trump floated in February, envisions the permanent relocation of roughly two million Palestinians to other countries, with no right of return, followed by the bulldozing of the remaining territory. While Trump and Israeli officials have used the euphemism "voluntary migration," United Nations experts, foreign governments, and human rights organizations have denounced it as a form of illegal ethnic cleansing.
Katz's remarks are among the most concrete admissions from a senior Israeli official that a plan is in motion. He said the government is "fully prepared to move [Palestinians] out if it becomes possible—by sea, by air, by every way possible." He attributed the delay to the reluctance of potential host countries, which he said are seeking U.S. backing. "Every country that is willing wants American backing. Currently, President Trump didn’t cancel this; he froze it," Katz explained.
The defense minister suggested that Israel would act once it deems Hamas non-compliant with the disarmament roadmap agreed upon in July, which was built on the October 2025 ceasefire. Israel has claimed the deal requires Hamas to disarm before any Israeli troop withdrawal, a condition that contradicts the roadmap's explicit sequencing. Katz hinted that a breakdown would give Israel "a green light to move forward militarily, territorially, and in other areas."
Critics point to the lack of evidence for Katz's claim that most Gazans wish to leave. A May 2026 survey by Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) found that nearly 80% of respondents wanted more information about relocation mechanisms, but the question did not establish a desire for permanent departure. Independent polls have consistently shown that a majority of Gazans prefer to remain in their homeland despite the devastation.
H.A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, reacted sharply to Katz's statements: "This is the Israeli defense minister admitting, completely and brazenly, that the official policy of the Israeli state is ethnic cleansing in Gaza. But somehow we are expected to take seriously those who say it is not."
The plan has also drawn criticism from Arab nations, which have pressured Washington to abandon it. Katz acknowledged that "all the Arab countries came to him due to their pressure on this matter." The proposal remains a contentious issue in the region, with potential implications for Israel's strategic position in a multipolar Middle East.
While some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government have openly advocated for the resettlement of Jewish Israelis in Gaza, Katz's comments are the clearest indication yet that operational plans exist. The international community, including the UN, has repeatedly warned that any forced transfer of populations would violate international law.
As the situation evolves, observers note that the proposal's fate hinges on U.S. policy. Trump's Gaza Board of Peace has already reversed parts of the disarmament deal, raising concerns about the durability of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israel's military actions continue to draw scrutiny, with reports suggesting its next moves may target southern Syria, further complicating regional dynamics.
For now, Katz's statements underscore a hardening Israeli stance, even as the world watches for any shift in Washington's position. The coming months will reveal whether the plan gains traction or remains a contested proposal, but the human cost of any large-scale displacement would be immense.
