Calls by two political allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza have renewed concerns among Palestinians that Israel could seek to remove the territory’s population despite ongoing US-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir presented a seven-year plan on Thursday for what he described as the “voluntary emigration” of Gaza’s population. He said he would seek the establishment of a ministry responsible for emigration in the next Israeli government.
Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party said Turkey, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo were among the countries being considered as possible destinations.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of Gaza’s government media office, rejected the proposal, saying Palestinians were firmly rooted in their land and would not be deterred by such statements.
Israel is scheduled to hold a general election on October 27, the first since its military campaign in Gaza began on October 7, 2023. The conflict has devastated large parts of the territory, which is home to more than two million people.
A US-backed ceasefire reached in October 2025 halted large-scale fighting, but Israeli strikes have continued and efforts to establish a permanent political settlement have made limited progress.
Ben-Gvir’s comments came a day after Defence Minister Israel Katz, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, said he saw no long-term solution for Gaza without the relocation of its population.
Katz said Israel was prepared to facilitate the departure of Palestinians “by sea, by air” and through other means, while acknowledging that Egypt was unwilling to accept them.
Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment on the remarks.
Opinion polls indicate that Netanyahu could face a challenge in the upcoming election. His political standing has been affected by criticism over the security failures surrounding the October 2023 Hamas attack, although analysts caution that he remains a significant contender.
In 2025, Israel’s defence ministry established an office to oversee what it called the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from Gaza, following remarks by then-US President Donald Trump suggesting that Palestinians could be permanently relocated from the territory.
Trump later distanced himself from the proposal amid strong opposition from Arab countries and widespread international criticism. Israel was also reported to have approached several African countries about possible resettlement arrangements.
Netanyahu has expressed support for what his government calls “voluntary emigration” from Gaza, while saying that proposals by far-right ministers to re-establish Jewish settlements in the territory are unrealistic. Israeli officials have denied plans to forcibly remove Gaza’s population.
The proposals have revived Palestinian fears of another Nakba, referring to the mass displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 war surrounding the establishment of Israel.
Gaza is central to Palestinian aspirations for an independent state in territories captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war.
According to Gaza health authorities, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
A UN inquiry has concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, citing killings, the siege and destruction in the territory and arguing that they were carried out with the intent to destroy Palestinian life.
Israel, which is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, rejects the allegation, calling it politically motivated. It says its military operations are directed against Hamas rather than Gaza’s civilian population.
Ben-Gvir also faced criticism this week after posting an AI-generated video depicting Palestinian prisoners entering a prison facility on a conveyor belt and emerging emaciated and distressed. He later deleted the video after it received millions of views on X.
In a displacement camp in Gaza City, some residents said they believed the latest calls for relocation were linked to the approaching Israeli election.
They also rejected the idea of leaving Gaza, saying the territory was their homeland.
“We will die on the land of Gaza,” said 52-year-old resident Mohammed Abu Al-Qumbuz.
“We were born on it, our children grew up on it, so it is very difficult to think of leaving,” he added.
