Israeli Defense Minister orders IDF to draft Gaza exit strategy
Photo: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Getty Images)
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the army to develop a plan for the voluntary departure of Gaza residents, The Guardian reports.
Katz has ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare a plan that will allow residents of the Gaza Strip to voluntarily leave the enclave and relocate to any country willing to accept them.
The plan will include departure through land crossings, as well as “special arrangements” for sea and air evacuations.
The Israeli defense minister stated that Hamas militants use Gaza residents as human shields and have built a “terror infrastructure” within the enclave. According to him, the militants allegedly hold civilians hostage, demanding payments and humanitarian aid while preventing them from leaving the territory.
Trump’s Plans for Gaza
It is worth noting that the Israeli defense minister’s statement follows a recent claim by former US President Donald Trump that the United States may take control of the Gaza Strip.
Trump has also not ruled out the deployment of American troops in Gaza. Additionally, he has spoken about the possibility of relocating Palestinians from the enclave.
However, Trump’s allies have reacted cautiously to his proposals, and many countries, particularly in Europe, have criticized his intentions.
For more on why Trump wants control over Gaza and what the Middle East thinks about it, read the RBC-Ukraine's report.
