"Voluntary" Displacement in Gaza
- Noa Sattath
- May 28
- 2 min read
5/27/2025
Dear friend,
Let us state the obvious: creating living conditions that do not allow for survival, freedom, and dignity, and subjecting civilians to them until they say they want to leave – is not a plan for "encouraging voluntary emigration" but a plan for forced evacuation and expulsion – transfer and ethnic cleansing of the Strip's territory.
ACRI's petition
We at ACRI have been actively working to force the Israeli government to alleviate the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The horrors that we have been witnessing are unbearable, but reinforce our determination to keep fighting to change the situation.
Recently, we sent an appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir demanding the revocation of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” to escalate the war in Gaza. The plan, which was approved by the Security Cabinet, consists of evacuating most of Gaza’s civilian population and concentrating them in a designated area in the Rafah region, where humanitarian aid would be distributed. This would allow for an escalation in the fighting in the rest of Gaza, based on the assumption that there would be no civilians remaining in other areas. Additionally, according to news reports and statements by Cabinet ministers, the plan is also intended to “encourage immigration,” and allow for Israeli settlers to occupy the evacuated areas. Reports have emerged about Palestinians in Gaza receiving messages inviting them to contact military authorities if they wish to leave. ACRI’s appeal describes the extreme shortage of food, water, shelter, and health services in Gaza, as well as the restrictions on humanitarian aid. Taken together with the new intention to “encourage immigration,” the true goal of the plan becomes clear.
“Operation Gideon’s Chariots” does not address defeating Hamas or the return of the hostages, who also suffer when humanitarian aid to Gaza is halted. Former hostages have testified that when humanitarian aid into Gaza was halted, their meager rations were cut even further and their misery increased. The point of the plan, based on the published details and public statements, is not to address any specific security or humanitarian need, but to remove the local population in favor of settlements. The list of international laws that it violates is long, and the list of benefits from its implementation is nonexistent.
“Crisis” barely scratches the surface of the current situation in Gaza, but we are committed to ensuring that Israel meets its obligations under international law, and that civilians in Gaza have the right to live in freedom and dignity without being subject to collective punishment.
Now, more than ever, is the time to commit to human rights. Donate Now.
Note to our Canadian friends: we can now accept donations from Canada!
