Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has unveiled a plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and push them abroad, proposing the removal of 250,000 Palestinians in the first year and the displacement of Gaza’s remaining population over the following six years.

Presented ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, the plan seeks to remove approximately 1.86 million Palestinians from Gaza over seven years. Ben-Gvir describes the policy as “voluntary emigration”, but its stated objective of emptying the territory of its Palestinian population has drawn accusations that it amounts to forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.

The proposal, reportedly known as “Disengagement 710,” envisions 250,000 Palestinians leaving Gaza during its first year, followed by the departure of the remaining population over the subsequent six years. Ben-Gvir has claimed that countries are prepared to receive Palestinians, although he has not publicly identified all of the proposed destinations.

For Palestinians, the proposal represents a direct threat to their continued presence in their homeland. Rights advocates have warned that displacement cannot be considered genuinely voluntary when civilians face conditions of war, destruction and severe restrictions on their ability to live safely in their homes.

The plan also comes amid renewed Israeli political calls for large-scale Palestinian migration from Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has separately backed a policy for large numbers of Palestinians to leave the territory, further intensifying concerns over the prospect of permanent displacement.

Ben-Gvir has repeatedly advocated Palestinian “emigration” from Gaza since the beginning of the war. His latest proposal gives those calls a detailed timetable, transforming what had previously been political rhetoric into a proposed long-term programme for removing a substantial portion of Gaza’s Palestinian population.

Critics argue that presenting mass displacement as “voluntary” does not resolve the fundamental issue if Palestinians are being pressured to leave through military force, destruction and conditions that make continued residence increasingly impossible.

The proposal has therefore raised renewed fears that the future of Gaza is being shaped around the permanent removal of its Palestinian population and the expansion of Israeli control over the territory, rather than the right of Palestinians to remain on their land. (ILKHA)