Israel Katz Backs Mass Gaza Exodus as Israel Faces October Election
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 28
Israel Katz Backs Mass Gaza Exodus as Israel Faces October Election
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 28
Israel’s defence minister said the government will carry out large-scale Palestinian departures from Gaza “at the right time and in the right manner,” explicitly tying the plan to removing Hamas from power.
Katz made the statement while marking the killing of Mohammed Odeh, Hamas’s latest military commander, and said Hamas would not rule Gaza “civilly or militarily.”
The push clashes with Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, which Israel signed last year and which says Gaza should be redeveloped for the benefit of its people rather than emptied of them.
Israel already set up a “voluntary emigration” bureau last year and eased one-way travel from Gaza, but Israeli rights groups say departures under current conditions cannot be voluntary and amount to forced transfer.
With an election due by the end of October, analysts say Benjamin Netanyahu and allies may see hard-line Gaza rhetoric as politically useful even amid ceasefire talks and regional de-escalation.
Why is a US-backed board planning to rebuild Gaza while Israel plans for its residents to leave?
Is Gaza's 'voluntary migration' the final chapter in a decades-long story of Palestinian displacement?
Israel’s 2026 Vote: Gaza Exodus Plan Failure, Humanitarian Crisis, and Shifting Global Alliances
Overview
The October 2026 Israeli election is set to be a crucial turning point, acting as a referendum on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. While the election is officially scheduled for October 2026, it could happen sooner if the government collapses or Netanyahu chooses to move it up. Voters will judge the government’s response to the October 7, 2023 attacks, its management of the ongoing conflict, broader governance issues, and especially the situation in Gaza. The outcome will reflect public opinion on war, leadership, and the future direction of Israel, making this election highly significant for the nation’s path forward.