Israel to resume Gaza war, pursue Palestinian migration plan – Katz

Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, announced his country's intention to resume full-scale military operations in Gaza and to implement a strategy aimed at encouraging Palestinians to leave the area. This announcement comes in the wake of criticism from Ofer Winter, another right-wing political rival, as Israel gears up for its upcoming October 27 election. According to Katz, approximately 70% of Gaza's population has already been forced to flee due to the ongoing conflict.

Katz defended the October 2025 ceasefire declared by US President Donald Trump, asserting it was a significant step as it enabled the return of remaining hostages and included a US pledge to assist in disarming Hamas. However, Katz expressed doubt about the likelihood of Hamas fulfilling the disarmament commitment, stating that Israel would be prepared to carry out the necessary actions to achieve this goal.

Katz emphasized that the IDF is ready to "finish the job" once given the directive to eliminate Hamas, which would pave the way for the implementation of a migration plan for Palestinians from Gaza.

Earlier this month, Katz had hinted at Israel's readiness to assist Palestinians in leaving Gaza through land and sea routes, but the plan was contingent upon discussions with the United States regarding potential relocation destinations for those leaving the territory. Katz described the proposed migration as voluntary and claimed that the majority of Palestinians desire to leave Gaza, although he did not offer any evidence to substantiate this claim.

Mike Huckabee, the US Ambassador to Israel, refuted the notion of any plan to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza, clarifying that such actions would not be taken without the consent of those affected. Gaza has witnessed nearly its entire population being displaced due to the ongoing conflict, and significant portions of the territory have been severely damaged or destroyed.