Israel’s announcement of a new body to facilitate the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza has triggered widespread condemnation across the Arab and Muslim world, with analysts calling the move a “provocative act” aimed at undermining an Egyptian-led initiative to rebuild the war-torn enclave.
A senior Egyptian official told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Egyptian diplomacy is fully aware that Israel’s goal is to obstruct efforts to implement the reconstruction plan prepared by Cairo, which has Arab backing and broad international support.”
Arab and Muslim leaders have rejected the Israeli move, while analysts say any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza is unlikely to succeed.
“Such extremist ideas regularly emerge from the Israeli side to undermine negotiation efforts and peace initiatives, but those involved in the talks are well aware of these tactics,” said the official, who requested anonymity.
“There are ongoing contacts with most countries, particularly the United States, to explain the situation Israel is inflaming in the region—a situation that poses risks for everyone,” they added.
An Israeli government spokeswoman said on Monday that the security cabinet had approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a body tasked with
“preparing for the voluntary departure of Gaza residents to third countries in a safe and supervised manner”.
She added that the body would operate under the Defense Ministry’s supervision but did not specify which third countries might participate in the plan.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Israel’s “voluntary departure” plan for Gaza residents as lacking any legal basis, stressing that “forcible displacement under bombardment and the denial of humanitarian aid constitutes a crime under international law.”
Saudi Arabia also condemned the move, with its Foreign Ministry stating that lasting and just peace “cannot be achieved without granting the Palestinian people their legitimate rights, in accordance with international resolutions, and establishing an independent Palestinian state”.
The Muslim World League denounced the Israeli announcement as a “violation of all international and humanitarian laws and norms” and an “intentional effort to undermine prospects for a just and comprehensive peace that ensures security and stability in the region and the world.”
The backlash comes after US President Donald Trump proposed relocating Gaza’s more than two million residents to Arab countries and transforming the war-ravaged coastal enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East”—a vision widely rejected by Arab states, including Egypt.
In a phone call on Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reiterated to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Egypt’s “unequivocal rejection” of any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
According to Egyptian presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shinawy, Sánchez welcomed the Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza and aligned with Egypt’s stance against the displacement of Palestinians or the liquidation of their cause.
Both leaders emphasized the need to implement a two-state solution as the “only guarantee for lasting security and stability in the Middle East.”
