• Israel's defense minister proposes relocating Gaza's population to a 'humanitarian city' in Rafah.
• Initial plans include transferring 600,000 Palestinians, with eventual relocation of the entire population.
• The plan has drawn criticism for potentially violating international humanitarian law.
• Israeli leaders support options for international resettlement of Palestinians as part of the strategy.
• Human rights advocates liken the planned relocation to a concentration camp scenario, raising alarms over human rights violations.

Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced plans to relocate the entire population of Gaza into a designated area described as a “humanitarian city” located in Rafah. The initiative aims to initially accommodate 600,000 Palestinians, with plans to eventually house around 2.1 million people, who would all be prohibited from leaving this new zone, according to reports from BBC, Middle East Eye, and LA Times.

Katz emphasized intentions to implement a security screening process for those entering the camp, while also expressing hopes for construction to commence during a ceasefire currently being negotiated with Hamas, as mentioned in discussions reported by Dawn and Middle East Eye. Critics have condemned the plan, describing it as tantamount to a potential crime against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

Israeli officials assert that the strategy is necessary to separate civilians from Hamas fighters; however, opposing voices highlight that the situation in Gaza, exacerbated by ongoing military operations and the blockade, creates conditions that forcibly displace residents. Human rights groups have called the planned concentration of the population reminiscent of a concentration camp, as reported by BBC and LA Times.

During discussions at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported proposals for relocating Palestinians to other countries as part of what they are framing as a “voluntary” migration process. Critics argue that the implications of such efforts lead to fears of an irreversible displacement, emulating past tragedies faced by the Palestinian people, as noted by sources at Middle East Eye and Dawn.

Humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm over the repercussions of this relocation plan, emphasizing that confining the population to a closed zone deprives them of basic freedoms and rights. Local and international activists argue that this action could lead to catastrophic living conditions that force residents to emigrate, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region, according to reports from Middle East Eye and BBC.