Interior Minister Moshe Arbel (Shas) stated that efforts to evacuate civilians from the Gaza Strip are off to a good start and 16 evacuation flights have already departed from Israel's Ramon Airport.
"More than 16 flights have already departed from Ramon Airport - this will increase in the near future," Arbel said at a Yedioth Aharonoth conference today (Monday).
In February, US President Donald Trump announced a plan under which the US would take over the Gaza Strip and its residents would be relocated to another country while it is rebuilt if they so choose.
In late March, Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Mossad to identify nations willing to accept large numbers of Gazans who have been displaced from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu is reportedly exploring avenues to relocate large groups of Palestinian Arabs, potentially to distant countries.
Sources indicated that Israel has already initiated discussions with several nations, including Somalia and South Sudan, as well as Indonesia. Netanyahu reportedly assigned Mossad this covert mission several weeks ago.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced last week the appointment of the deputy director-general of the Ministry of Defense Yaakov Blitshtein to head the voluntary immigration management of Gaza residents.
The appointment aims to advance a plan that will allow Palestinian Arabs from the Gaza Strip to voluntarily leave for third countries, in coordination with foreign governments and international organizations.