As part of the first phase of the plan to relocate Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza for third countries, which appeared to take shape last Wednesday, 70 Gazans with foreign citizenship or family ties abroad departed from southern Israel’s Ramon Airport on a Romanian military plane bound for Europe.
Israeli authorities said they assisted in the evacuation as part of their emigration policy. The group’s departure coincided with renewed military operations in Gaza and mounting international pressure to restore humanitarian aid to the territory.“We are working with all means to implement the US president’s vision, and we will allow any Gaza resident who wants to move to a third state to do so,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said, referencing a plan developed during Donald Trump’s presidency to promote economic development in the region through population relocation.
Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the establishment of the directorate tasked with assisting Palestinians in Gaza who wish to relocate to third countries, part of a broader emigration initiative advanced by Katz in coordination with the United States.
Over the weekend, the government confirmed the creation of the Voluntary Emigration Bureau, which Katz said would facilitate the “safe and supervised” departure of Gazans in line with Israeli and international law.The logistics behind the transfers
The directorate, operating under the Defense Ministry, will coordinate with international organizations and manage logistics at designated crossings, as well as oversee infrastructure for land, sea, and air transfers.
A candidate to lead the office is expected to be appointed soon.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has proposed an ambitious timeline for relocating up to 10,000 Gazans per day while insisting that budgetary constraints will not hinder the process.
Critics warn the program risks crossing into forced displacement, while no third country has yet publicly agreed to absorb large numbers of refugees.
During the same cabinet session, ministers approved the formal separation of 13 West Bank neighborhoods into independent settlements, escalating tensions over Israeli policy in occupied territories.
