Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz Says Gaza ‘Voluntary Emigration’ Plan Will Be Implemented

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said Israel would implement a plan for large numbers of Palestinians to leave Gaza “at the right time and in the right manner,” in a statement on Wednesday marking the targeted killing of Mohammed Odeh, Hamas’s most recent military commander.

“After two years of relentless bombardment and ground invasions, Israel’s future in Gaza had appeared to be settled with the signing of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan on October 9, 2025”

Al Jazeera

The Irish Examiner reported Katz’s commitment to a “voluntary emigration” plan as part of Israel’s long-term plans for the territory, while also citing the plan’s line that “Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera tied the statement to the stalled withdrawal behind the “Yellow Line,” saying Israel’s forces were meant to withdraw behind planners’ “Yellow Line” while maintaining control of 58 percent of the territory under the October 9, 2025, 20-point peace plan.

Al Jazeera also reported that Israel has expanded its territory by about 11 percent since the ceasefire, and that it has established at least 32 military outposts, a ground barrier and infrastructure along what was supposed to be a temporary line.

Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group told the Irish Examiner that with an election due by the end of October, Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies are courting voters and may seek to show they are acting on the security front through military power.

Zonszein said, “Because we are looking at an extension of the ceasefire and de-escalation of the situation in Iran and Lebanon, Israel – and Netanyahu specifically – will be looking for ways to show that they’re doing something on the security front, and that means exercising military power,” and added, “Unfortunately talking about ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not necessarily something that will hurt you in domestic politics. In fact it might even help you.”

Daily Kos

Al Jazeera reported that Netanyahu told a conference, “We are currently squeezing Hamas; we now control 60 percent of the territory of the Strip – you know this. We were at 50. My directive is to move to …,” and then responded to a crowd member yelling “100!” with “Let’s go step by step,” “First of all, 70. Let’s start with that.”

Al Jazeera said it contacted the Israeli prime minister’s office for clarification but received no response by the time of publishing, and it also reported that the Israeli prime minister’s office did not respond to questions about the “voluntary emigration” framing.

Al Jazeera quoted Michael Becker, a professor of international human rights law at Trinity College in Dublin, saying that if Israel’s ultimate plan is “to exercise permanent effective control over the entirety of the Gaza Strip, we are talking about unlawful annexation,” and added that annexation violates the prohibition on acquiring territory by force.

“Now can we call it genocide”

Daily Kos

The article also reported that since the onset of its war on Gaza in October 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 72,819 men, women and children in Gaza, and that by 2025 Israel had caused a confirmed famine in the enclave and decimated nearly all infrastructure needed to support life.

Al Jazeera said the US has failed to react as Israel expanded and entrenched its presence, “choking off access to about two-thirds of the enclave for its inhabitants by April 2026,” while also reporting that numerous humanitarian agencies, including Oxfam, accused Israel of restricting deliveries of aid and other essential goods.

In parallel, CCFD-Terre Solidaire’s report said the Trump plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the return of hostages, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the deployment of an “international stabilization force,” while also stating that two access points can be used by humanitarian convoys and that major humanitarian organizations are still refused entry into the territory.