Israel plans to crowd Gaza population into closed zone near Egyptian border

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has outlined a plan to crowd hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a closed zone in the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt.

Katz reportedly ordered the Israeli military to draw up a plan to build what he called a "humanitarian city" in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, which was badly damaged in the war and is now largely uninhabited, and reportedly said Palestinians would not be able to leave once they entered the zone.

Katz said the military could begin that construction during the 60-day ceasefire that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are discussing in Washington.

The army would initially relocate 600.000 Palestinians from the existing humanitarian zone with the goal of eventually moving the entire Palestinian population to Rafah.

It appears to be the latest version of the Israeli government's plans to maintain permanent control over Gaza and relocate much of its two million residents.

Critics say it would constitute forced displacement that violates international law, as the Israeli military offensive and blockade have made Gaza completely uninhabitable.

Israeli officials say the goal is to separate the civilian population from Hamas, which still controls parts of Gaza and holds dozens of hostages taken in the October 7 attack. Palestinians would be given the opportunity to emigrate.

Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Palestinians consider Gaza an integral part of their national homeland and oppose any plans for relocation.

Both Trump and Netanyahu have said that Gaza's population should be resettled to other countries through what they call "voluntary emigration." During their dinner Monday at the White House, Netanyahu said that Palestinians should have a "free choice" to stay or leave.

Palestinians fear that even if they leave temporarily to escape war, Israel will never allow them to return, which could lead to a repeat of the mass exodus that occurred before and during the 1948 war that created Israel.

Katz expressed hope that the plan would be implemented and said that Netanyahu is already trying to find countries willing to accept Palestinians, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Human rights groups fear that the concentration of the population along the border with Egypt would create catastrophic conditions that would leave Palestinians with no choice but to leave.