OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel’s defence minister ordered the army on Thursday to prepare for “voluntary” departures from Gaza, after US President Donald Trump proposed moving Palestinians out of the territory.
The idea sparked uproar from leaders in the Middle East and beyond. On Wednesday, the Trump administration appeared to walk back some of the suggestions.
Hours later, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to formulate a plan for Palestinians to leave Gaza, which has been ravaged by more than a year of war.
“I have instructed the IDF (military) to prepare a plan to enable voluntary departure for Gaza residents,” Katz said, adding they could go “to any country willing to accept them”.
Trump announced his proposal to audible gasps on Tuesday at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first foreign leader to meet him at the White House since his inauguration.
The United Nations warned any forced displacement of Palestinians would be “tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.
Trump insisted “everybody loves” the plan, saying it would involve the United States taking over Gaza, though he offered few details on how more than two million Palestinians would be removed. His administration later appeared to backtrack, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying any transfer of Gazans would be temporary, while the White House denied any commitment to sending US troops.
The US president doubled down on his proposal on Thursday, saying no US soldiers would be needed in Gaza as part of the plan.
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