Controversial Israeli Plan: Gaza’s Population Faces Forced Transfer to “Humanitarian City” in Rafah

A highly contentious plan put forth by Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, proposes moving the entire Palestinian population of Gaza into a camp on the ruins of Rafah. While termed a “humanitarian city,” legal experts and academics are sounding alarms, describing the scheme as a “blueprint for crimes against humanity” and an “internment camp.”

The Rafah “Humanitarian City” Proposal

According to reports from Haaretz, Defense Minister Katz has ordered the Israeli military to prepare for the establishment of this camp. Key details of the plan include:

• Initial Relocation: An estimated 600,000 Palestinians, primarily those currently displaced in the al-Mawasi area, would be moved into the site.
• Total Population Transfer: Eventually, the plan aims to house the entire population of Gaza in this “humanitarian city.” Given that the Gaza Strip has a population of over 2 million people, this would be a massive displacement.
• Restricted Movement: Palestinians would undergo “security screening” upon entry and would not be permitted to leave the camp once inside. Israeli forces would maintain control of the perimeter.
• “Emigration Plan”: Katz also indicated an “emigration plan, which will happen,” suggesting a broader goal of encouraging Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip entirely.

Legal and Humanitarian Concerns

The proposed plan has drawn strong condemnation from international law experts and human rights advocates:

• Breach of International Law: Michael Sfard, a leading Israeli human rights lawyer, states that Katz’s scheme directly contradicts international law. He argues that forcibly driving people from their homeland on such a scale constitutes a war crime and, if done massively, a crime against humanity.
• “Voluntary” vs. Coerced Departure: While Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have often framed this as “voluntary emigration,” critics contend that under the current coercive conditions in Gaza, no departure could genuinely be considered consensual.
• “Ethnic Cleansing” and “Concentration Camp”: Professor Amos Goldberg, a Holocaust historian, explicitly called Katz’s plan “ethnic cleansing of Gaza” and likened the proposed site to “a concentration camp or a transit camp for Palestinians before they expel them.” He emphasized that such a place, devoid of freedom of movement, work, or genuine community, is “neither humanitarian nor a city.”

Current Displacement and Political Context

The revelation of this plan comes amidst an already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Approximately 1.9 million Palestinians, or about 90% of Gaza’s population, have been internally displaced since the conflict began, with many experiencing multiple displacements.

The timing of Katz’s announcement, just before Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meetings with Donald Trump in Washington D.C., suggests a strategic push for this agenda. Trump has previously suggested that large numbers of Palestinians should leave Gaza to “clean out” the strip, a notion enthusiastically promoted by some Israeli politicians. Netanyahu himself has stated that the US and Israel are working with other countries to offer Palestinians a “better future” if they choose to leave Gaza.

The proposed “humanitarian city” in Rafah represents a significant and controversial development in the ongoing conflict. As international bodies and human rights organizations continue to voice their concerns, the implementation of this plan could have profound and lasting implications for the Palestinian population of Gaza and the broader region.

What are your thoughts on this plan and its potential ramifications? Share your perspective in the comments below.