Trump plan: Israel Katz establishes administration to help Gazans to voluntarily relocate

Defense Minister Israel Katz is establishing an administration within the Defense Ministry, aimed at helping Gazans who wish to relocate from the Gaza Strip and coordinated with other government ministries, according to a statement released today (Monday).

According to the Defense Ministry's statement:

Defense Minister Israel Katz held a discussion today (Monday) on the voluntary departure of Gaza residents, at the end of which he decided to establish an administration within the Ministry of Defense for the voluntary exit of Gaza residents.

The administration is expected to include representatives from additional government ministries and security system bodies.

During the discussion, an initial plan on the subject was presented by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, prepared at the request of the Defense Minister.

The plan includes extensive assistance that will allow any Gaza resident who wishes to voluntarily emigrate to a third country to receive a package that includes, among other things, special exit arrangements by sea, air, and land.

The discussion was attended by Acting Director General of the Ministry of Defense, Itamar Graf, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Rassan Alian, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, Major General Roman Gofman, Military Secretary to the Defense Minister, Brigadier General Guy Markizano, Head of the Humanitarian-Civilian Effort in the Gaza Strip, Brigadier General Elad Goren, and other senior officials from the defense establishment.

Katz's proposed administration clearly aligns with the plan of President Donald Trump, who has announced numerous times that the only solution for the Gaza Strip was to help the population of the Gaza Strip relocate somewhere else, moving from the war-torn and devastated Strip to new, "beautiful" houses.

However, there are key differences between Trump's plan and Katz's administration, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's own interpretation of the President's plan.

While Trump's plan speaks of permanent relocation, and does not make such relocation dependent on whether the Gazan relocation is voluntary or not, both Katz and Netanyahu have repeatedly insisted that only Gazans who truly wish to move should be helped, not forced. Also, neither Katz nor Netanyahu have stated that any who move would be barred from moving back, something Trump has insisted upon.

A man who more closely aligns with Trump's original intentions is Otzmah Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir not only supports the idea of helping Gazans to voluntarily relocate, his party has put forward a law proposal which would both help relocation and penalize those who wish to return.