Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced plans to relocate the entire population of Gaza—approximately 2.1 million people—to a controlled encampment in Rafah, according to reports in Israeli media.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Katz outlined a proposal to construct a "humanitarian city" on the ruins of Rafah, a southern Gaza city heavily damaged during ongoing Israeli military operations. The initial phase of the plan would involve housing 600,000 Palestinians who pass through a security screening process. Over time, the facility would be expanded to accommodate the entire population of the territory.
Katz emphasized that residents would not be permitted to leave the camp once inside. He also suggested that construction could begin during a potential 60-day ceasefire currently under negotiation between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement has drawn immediate concern from humanitarian groups and international legal experts, many of whom view the mass displacement and confinement of civilians as potentially unlawful under international law.
