Science and Technology Minister Galit Gamliel, who also serves as a cabinet member on the Defense and Security Affairs Committee, was among the first Israeli officials to outline a formal political objective regarding the voluntary emigration of Gaza residents from the Strip.
“The plan has not disappeared. It is moving forward at its own pace," Gamliel said in an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, describing the preparations she has made to develop what she called a comprehensive strategic framework for the humanitarian evacuation of Gaza’s population.
According to Gamliel, her work included examining similar situations in conflict zones around the world, reviewing international law, and analyzing possible models for implementation. She said the effort stems from the assessment that, in order to prevent Gaza from once again becoming a threat to Israeli civilians, and given what she described as the lack of realistic political and security alternatives, a solution involving residents leaving the Strip must be considered.
Gamliel pointed to several obstacles that would need to be addressed before such a plan could be implemented. One of the main challenges, she said, is the lack of an official authority in Gaza with which Israel could coordinate, noting that there is no intention to work with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
She also referred to the complexities involved in working with international bodies, including the US-established Board Of Peace, as well as the hostility on the ground, which she said demonstrates the difficulty of achieving cooperation with Gaza’s population.
The minister argued that the widespread destruction of infrastructure in Gaza means reconstruction would require at least a decade, assuming there is a decision to rebuild, and would involve enormous financial costs. “Therefore, this is the most appropriate solution for both us and them," she said.
Gamliel also cited a survey in which 5,000 Gaza residents were reportedly asked about the possibility of emigration, claiming that 4,000 expressed interest in such an option.
Another challenge, she said, is the question of how Gaza residents would be absorbed in other countries. While some options that were previously discussed have been removed from consideration, she said others still present “significant potential" for advancing the plan.
According to Gamliel, the possibility of implementing the initiative increases as Israel expands its control on the ground, which she said is approaching 70 percent of Gaza’s territory. She added that Hamas’s continued presence creates obstacles for such a process but suggested that this could change in the future.
Gamliel said that a dedicated office for voluntary emigration has already been established, with officials working on advancing the initiative. She added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser Caroline Glick was appointed as his representative to the office and “will lead this campaign on behalf of the Prime Minister."
“There is a major national effort to enable anyone who wants to leave to do so," Gamliel said. She added that positions previously presented by US President Donald Trump at the UN Security Council included the principle that anyone wishing to leave should be allowed to do so.