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The order by the Israeli defense minister comes after President Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza and said that all two million Palestinians in the enclave should be displaced.
Feb. 6, 2025, 7:40 a.m. ET
The Israeli defense minister said Thursday that he had ordered Israel’s military to draft a plan to allow Gazans to voluntarily leave the enclave, a move that comes after President Trump’s proposal for a massive resettlement of Palestinians and a U.S.-led takeover of the territory.
It was far from clear whether the proposal would be carried out, where the Israeli authorities hoped the Gazans would go, or how many people they imagined would leave.
But Israel Katz, the defense minister, praised Mr. Trump’s initiative, saying it could “allow a large population in Gaza to leave for various places in the world.”
Mr. Katz said his plan for Gazans to leave the enclave would include “exit options via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departure by sea and air.” He made no mention of whether they would be allowed to come back home after the war.
On Tuesday evening, Mr. Trump argued that the roughly two million Palestinians in Gaza should leave during a joint news conference with visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.
He also proposed that the United States “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, although administration officials later tried to soften his comments.
