Date: September 10, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has said the government has no plans to forcibly deport Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, attempting to draw a distinction between official Israeli policy and recent proposals from senior members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government calling for the mass departure of Gaza's Palestinian population.
Sa'ar made the statement on Wednesday during a press conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where he was attending the opening of Israel's embassy. His comments came after two Israeli ministers publicly advocated policies that would encourage or facilitate the removal of Palestinians from Gaza, reigniting international concern over whether Israel could eventually pursue a policy of mass displacement.
"We are not planning to expel or to deport anyone from the Gaza Strip," Sa'ar said, according to Reuters. He added that Israel would not prevent Palestinians from leaving voluntarily if they personally wanted to emigrate and another country was willing to receive them. However, he stressed that Israel would not force anyone to leave against their will.
The foreign minister's statement represents an important clarification from the Israeli government at a time when the issue of Palestinian displacement has become increasingly prominent in Israeli political debate. It also comes only days after Defence Minister Israel Katz said there was ultimately "no real solution for Gaza" without the migration of Palestinians from the territory.
Katz's comments, made on September 2, indicated that the idea of encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza remained under discussion within the Israeli government. According to Reuters, Katz said the plan had been frozen by U.S. President Donald Trump but had not necessarily been abandoned.
The issue was further intensified on September 3 when far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir presented what he described as a seven-year plan for the "voluntary emigration" of Gaza's population. Ben-Gvir proposed removing approximately 250,000 Palestinians during the first year and the remainder over the following six years. He also advocated the creation of a government ministry dedicated to emigration if his party participates in the next government.
Ben-Gvir has characterized his proposal as voluntary, but critics argue that the distinction becomes difficult to sustain when civilians are living amid widespread destruction, displacement and severe humanitarian hardship. The debate is particularly sensitive because any attempt to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza would carry major legal and diplomatic consequences.
The disagreement between the ministers' statements and Sa'ar's clarification has therefore raised questions about the extent to which proposals for Palestinian emigration represent government policy or the political positions of individual members of Netanyahu's coalition.
The Israeli government is also operating in an increasingly complicated political environment. Israel is scheduled to hold a general election on October 27, meaning that Gaza policy, security and the future of the Palestinian population are likely to remain major issues in the campaign. Far-right political parties have used proposals for Palestinian emigration as part of their broader political platform, while other members of the government have sought to distance official policy from forced displacement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also maintained a hard-line position on Israel's military presence in Gaza. Earlier this month, Netanyahu visited an Israeli military position in the territory and said Israel would not withdraw from the areas under its control. He said Israel controlled a substantial portion of Gaza and would continue military operations against what he described as terrorist threats.
That military presence has added to international concerns about the future of Gaza and the possibility of permanent changes to the territory's demographic and political structure. Palestinian civilians have already experienced repeated displacement since the war began, with large numbers forced from their homes as Israeli military operations expanded across different parts of the enclave.
Israel, however, continues to argue that its military operations are focused on security threats and Hamas, while its government has rejected accusations that it is pursuing a policy of forcibly removing Gaza's population.
Sa'ar's latest statement appears intended to reinforce that position. By explicitly saying that Israel will not force Palestinians to leave, he sought to establish a clear boundary between voluntary emigration and deportation. He also said Israel would not oppose Palestinians who independently choose to leave if another country agrees to accept them.
The distinction is likely to remain controversial, particularly because the concept of "voluntary" departure is being discussed in the context of a population facing severe humanitarian conditions. Palestinian officials and international rights organizations have previously warned that displacement can become coercive even without a formal order requiring civilians to leave.
The United States has also become part of the debate. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that Israel has no plans to force Palestinians out of Gaza, a position that broadly corresponds with Sa'ar's latest statement. At the same time, Trump himself previously proposed that Palestinians leave Gaza as part of a plan to redevelop the territory, although that proposal generated widespread international opposition and was subsequently softened.
The controversy is occurring against the backdrop of continuing violence in Gaza despite the ceasefire framework that has reduced, but not completely eliminated, hostilities. Israeli military strikes have continued, and Palestinian officials and international organizations continue to report severe humanitarian needs.
Recent Reuters reporting has highlighted the continuing crisis in Gaza's hospitals, where fuel shortages and deteriorating infrastructure have placed medical services under severe pressure. Hospitals have struggled to maintain generators needed to operate ventilators, water pumps and other essential equipment.
The humanitarian situation makes the debate over voluntary migration particularly consequential. For Palestinians who have already lost homes, relatives and livelihoods, the possibility of leaving Gaza may be viewed differently from normal voluntary migration. Critics of the proposals argue that people making decisions under extreme deprivation cannot necessarily be regarded as freely choosing relocation.
Israel's government will therefore face increasing scrutiny over whether Sa'ar's statement becomes the definitive position of the state or whether proposals from far-right ministers continue to influence government policy.
For Palestinians in Gaza, the distinction between voluntary emigration and forced displacement could have profound consequences. Any organized policy aimed at permanently relocating large numbers of Palestinians would likely trigger intense international opposition and further diplomatic pressure on Israel.
The issue also has implications for the broader search for a political settlement. Questions about who will govern Gaza, whether Israel will withdraw its forces, the future of Hamas, the reconstruction of the territory and the status of Palestinian residents remain unresolved. A durable settlement would require decisions on these issues as well as guarantees concerning the ability of Gaza's population to remain on and rebuild their homeland.
For now, Sa'ar's declaration provides a direct statement from Israel's foreign minister that forced deportation is not government policy. But with Defence Minister Katz and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir recently advocating different approaches to Palestinian emigration, the internal debate within Israel's government is far from settled.
As Israel approaches its October election, the competing positions could become increasingly important. The government will have to balance the demands of its far-right political partners with growing international scrutiny and the diplomatic consequences of any policy perceived as seeking the permanent removal of Palestinians from Gaza.
For the moment, Israel's official message is that Palestinians will not be forcibly expelled. Whether that position remains unchanged as the political campaign intensifies, and as Israel determines the long-term future of Gaza, will be closely watched in Israel, the Palestinian territories and around the world.