Israel would be negotiating with countries on the resettlement of Gazans after the war

The Israeli Government would be negotiating with several countries, including the Republic of the Congo, for the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza when the war endsreported this Wednesday the online Times of Israel, citing a senior Israeli official.

While the conflict with Hamas in Gaza continues – lasting almost three months -, the Executive of Benjamin Netanyahu launches plans for what it calls “voluntary” migration for the 2.3 million inhabitants of the Strip who want to leave, according to that medium.

Given this, The authorities would be having contacts with several countries that could accept the arrival of thousands of Gazans. “The Republic of Congo will be willing to receive immigrants and we are in talks with other countries,” a source who is part of the Security Cabinet told the Times of Israel.

The extreme humanitarian crisis derived from the war in Gaza leaves its population in an unsustainable situation, with almost no food, drinking water, medical supplies or fuel due to the Israeli siege that limits the entry of humanitarian aid to a trickle.

Most hospitals are operating at their limit or out of service, without electricity due to a shortage of gasoline and lacking medical supplies or many drugs to treat the wounded and sick.

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Since the start of the war on October 7, when Hamas carried out a surprise attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people, the Israeli offensive on the enclave has left at least 22,300 dead and more than 57,200 wounded.

Thousands of missing Palestinians are also estimated to have died and their bodies are under rubble of destroyed buildings, but they have not yet been able to get up.

(You can read: Israel warns that the war against Hamas in Gaza 'will continue throughout 2024')

The Israeli Army's attacks on Gaza have left a landscape of unprecedented devastation inside the enclave, while Israeli right-wing groups and ministers of the Government itself In recent days, they have openly called for the departure of Gazans to make way for the resettlement of the coastal enclave with Israeli settlers.

The Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, and the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, made statements along these lines.

Gvir, leader of the right-wing Jewish Force party, for example, called on Monday for Jewish settlers to return to Gaza when the war ends. and that the Palestinian population is “encouraged” to emigrate.

Smotrich, who heads the “Religious Zionism” party, also returned to the fray on Wednesday, stating in statements reported by the media that “70% of Israeli public opinion supports the voluntary emigration of Arabs from Gaza and its absorption by other countries”.

The expulsion of a population from its territory is prohibited by the Geneva conventions, which form the core of international humanitarian law, and the statutes of the International Criminal Court (ICC) designate the “deportation or forcible transfer of population” as a crime against humanity.

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Washington has already reacted and stated that “the United States rejects the recent statements by Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben
Gvir that propose the resettlement of Palestinians out of Gaza,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement Tuesday.

“This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible,” he insisted.

Until now, A very small part of the Gazan population was able to leave the Strip via Egypt, but this country – the only one that borders Gaza beyond Israel – refuses to give access to large numbers of Gazans. for fear that later Israel will not allow them to return and will have to absorb a large number of refugees.

EFE