Israeli far-right ministers renew calls for mass removal of Palestinians from Gaza ahead of election

Sep 2, 2026

Ahead of Israel's general election on October 27, 2026, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israel Katz have renewed calls for the mass removal of Gaza's two million Palestinians. Ben-Gvir detailed a seven-year plan targeting 250,000 relocations in its first year, proposing Turkey, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as destinations. Palestinians reject the plans as an election ploy, fearing a new Nakba, while localized Israeli military strikes continue to cause casualties despite a fragile October 2025 ceasefire.

Israeli ministers' Gaza removal proposals

▪Israel's Defence Ministry established an office in 2025 tasked with overseeing the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
▪Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced a seven-year plan to remove approximately two million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip through voluntary emigration.
▪Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that there is no real solution for Gaza without migration and that Israel is prepared to move Palestinians out by sea or air.
▪Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party identified Turkey, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as potential destination countries for displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
▪Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that his Jewish Power party would demand the creation of a ministry in charge of emigration during the formation of the next Israeli government.
▪Itamar Ben-Gvir's proposed plan aims to relocate 250,000 Palestinians from Gaza in the first year, 1.1 million within three years, and 1.9 million within seven years.

Upcoming Israeli general election

▪The Maariv poll found that 40% of Israeli respondents believe there was a betrayal from within conspiracy on the morning of the October 7, 2023 attacks.
▪Israel is scheduled to hold a general election on October 27, 2026, which will be the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
▪A Maariv poll conducted on September 2-3, 2026, showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition rising to 51 seats, its highest level since May 2026.

Palestinian responses to expulsion plans

▪Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas government media office, rejected the Israeli proposals, stating that the Palestinian people are deeply rooted in their land and will not be intimidated.
▪Displaced Palestinians in Gaza City camps characterized the mass removal proposals by Israeli ministers as an election ploy and expressed their refusal to leave Gaza.
▪The mass removal proposals have revived Palestinian fears of a new Nakba, referencing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 war.

International diplomatic efforts

▪U.S. President Donald Trump previously suggested that all 2 million Palestinians leave Gaza and that the United States redevelop the territory, a proposal he later walked back.
▪An independent United Nations inquiry determined that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza by deliberately targeting Palestinian children and destroying Palestinian life.

Recent Gaza violence

▪The Gaza Health Ministry reported that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military campaign since October 2023.
▪Israeli forces opened fire in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia on September 3, 2026, killing a 13-year-old child and an adult.
▪An Israeli drone strike in the Rimal neighbourhood of western Gaza City on September 3, 2026, killed one person and injured several others.

Ceasefire status

▪Israeli Deputy Chief of General Staff Major General Tamir Yadai stated that Israel controls 65% of Gaza, exceeding the 53% agreed upon under the 2025 ceasefire.
▪A United States-brokered ceasefire agreement came into effect in October 2025, halting large-scale fighting but failing to end ongoing Israeli military strikes.