Background on Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz
Israel Katz is the current Minister of Defense for Israel, a position he has held since 2019. As a prominent figure in Israeli politics, Katz has been instrumental in shaping the country’s defense policies and strategies. His recent announcement regarding a new “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza has sparked significant interest and debate.
The Proposed “Humanitarian City” Plan
On Monday, Minister Katz announced that he had given the necessary orders to the Israeli armed forces to implement a plan for creating a new “humanitarian city” in Rafah, southern Gaza. This city would initially accommodate approximately 600,000 Palestinians from the Al Mawasi area in southern Gaza’s coastal region and displaced individuals from other parts of the Gaza Strip.
Restrictions and Conditions
Under this plan, Palestinians would only be allowed to enter after registration and investigation to prevent Hamas members from entering. Once inside, they would not be permitted to leave, except for emigration purposes.
Objectives and Management
The ultimate goal is to move all civilian Palestinian populations into such zones, which would be under military surveillance from a distance by Israeli forces. These areas would be managed by international organizations and feature four new distribution points for humanitarian aid.
Katz emphasized that the plan aims to encourage Palestinians to “voluntarily emigrate” from the Gaza Strip. He stressed that this plan “must be implemented,” according to the minister.
Contingencies and Current Control
Should Israel reach an agreement with Hamas for the release of hostages and a 60-day truce, Israel intends to maintain its presence in the Morag corridor, north of Rafah, where construction of this new humanitarian city would commence. Katz noted that Israel already controls 70% of the Gaza Strip’s territory.
International Organizations’ Stance
Katz’s proposal has been met with skepticism from major international organizations, who have declined to collaborate in a system ultimately controlled by Israel. The only operational entity so far is the opaque Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which works in concert with the Israeli military.
GHF’s Denial
In response to the leaked plan for “Transit Humanitarian Zones,” GHF has distanced itself from any involvement in such projects, past or future. The organization released a statement clarifying that it “has no plans to implement these Transit Humanitarian Zones at any point in the future” and that the cited document is not affiliated with GHF.
GHF expressed concern over the dissemination of inaccurate information, stating that “the damage has already been done” despite their repeated denials. They pointed out that Reuters corrected its story, acknowledging its falsity, while other media outlets like The Washington Post and NBC News followed a similar pattern.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the purpose of this new “humanitarian city” plan? The aim is to concentrate Palestinians in designated areas under military surveillance, with the ultimate goal of encouraging their voluntary emigration from Gaza.
- Who will manage these “humanitarian cities”? Despite Katz’s claims that international organizations will manage them, major organizations have declined. Currently, only the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) operates in these areas alongside Israeli military forces.
- What are the conditions for Palestinians to enter these zones? Palestinians must undergo registration and investigation before entry, and they cannot leave except for emigration.
- How has the international community responded to this plan? Major international organizations have expressed reluctance to participate in a system ultimately controlled by Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has denied any involvement in the proposed “Transit Humanitarian Zones.”
