A majority of Gaza residents would leave if they had the opportunity, according to a Friday survey by Gallup International.
Conducted from March 2 to March 13, 2025, the poll found that 38% of respondents would opt for temporary relocation, 14% would move permanently, and 4% would send family members abroad.
The survey, which included 532 participants from Gaza, also underscored the ongoing deterioration in living conditions since the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023. Most respondents described their current quality of life as either “very bad” or “fairly bad.”
Worsening conditions fuel desire to leave
The data revealed that 37% of those surveyed are unable to return to their homes, while 65% stated that their lives were better before the war. Essential resources remain in short supply, with 75% reporting a lack of electricity and fuel, 73% struggling with food shortages, 66% citing inadequate housing, and more than 60% experiencing difficulties in accessing healthcare and education.
Among those looking to relocate, 30% expressed interest in Gulf Arab nations, 13% preferred Arab countries in Africa, and 6% were considering non-Arab Muslim-majority states. The most popular destinations included Egypt (12%), Qatar (10%), the United Arab Emirates (10%), Kuwait (7%), and Turkey (6%). Western countries were also among the choices, with Germany (13%), Canada (7%), and the United States (6%) ranking as potential destinations.
When asked about their motivations for emigrating, 79% cited the desire to secure a better future for their families, another 79% sought a safer living environment, and 74% were in search of better employment prospects.
Trump's relocation plan
On Friday, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reportedly said his country was ready to temporarily host half a million Gazans who would be evacuated from the Gaza Strip. Egypt later denied the report.
In early February, US President Donald Trump announced his Gaza relocation plan, which proposed to relocate Gazans to neighboring Arab countries such as Egypt and Jordan and for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip.
In early March, Egypt announced its $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza. The proposal, adopted by the Arab summit, countered that of Trump and rejected the proposal to relocate Palestinians from the Strip.
Further on Friday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF will permanently seize parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas doesn't release the hostages held in captivity.
"I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers.
The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel," Katz said.
"If the hostages are not released, Israel will continue to take more and more territory in the Strip for permanent control," he concluded.
