Some 27 ministers and Members of Knesset (MKs) from Israel’s coalition called in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the national security cabinet on Wednesday to adopt a plan to transfer all civilians in northern Gaza to its south in order to “cleanse” the territory and defeat the remaining Hamas terrorists.
The letter was initiated by a forum called the “Forum Hamefakdim Vehalohamim Bemiliuim” (Reserve Commanders and Combat Soldiers Forum) and was promoted in the Knesset by Likud MK Avichai Boaron.
In the letter, the ministers and MKs called on the prime minister and national security cabinet to adopt a plan called the “General’s Plan,” which was reportedly supported by reserve Major-Generals Gershon Hacohen, Giora Eiland, Eyal Eisenberg, and Avi Mizrahi, by “various experts,” and by the aforementioned forum.
The plan includes four stages: firstly, transferring the civilian population in northern Gaza to south of the Netzarim corridor; initiating a siege of northern Gaza and pronouncing it a “closed military zone”; preventing deliveries to the area until it is “cleansed” and the remaining terrorists are defeated by applying “intense” military pressure; and finally, conducting a similar procedure in other areas of the Gaza Strip.
The letter did not indicate whether or not the civilians would be allowed to return to northern Gaza once fighting ended, nor who would govern the area if they were allowed to return.
The ministers and MKs argued that the move was necessary in order to prevent Hamas from continuing to control the civilian population by taking control of aid distribution. This was an impediment to achieving the cabinet’s war goals and needed to be overcome, they argued.
Proposed plan to relocate northern Gaza
The ministers and MKs added that the plan was “implementable” according to international law and was achievable.
The ministers who signed the letter were Women’s Advancement Minister and Social Equality Minister May Golan, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli. MKs who signed came from the Likud, the Religious Zionist Party, and Otzma Yehudit.