The plan was first made public by retired general Giora Eiland in a video shared online in September. Here, Eiland describes that the Israeli military (IDF) will carry out a forced relocation quickly: – It is correct to inform the residents who remain in northern Gaza of the following: We do not suggest that you leave northern Gaza. We order you to leave northern Gaza. The Israeli embassy does not have the opportunity to answer questions about this plan, they write in an e-mail to news. According to the UN, between 300,000 and half a million Palestinians live in the north. In the video, Eiland recommends that all of these be ordered to southern Gaza. When these are out of the area, northern Gaza must be declared a “closed military zone”. A week after this announcement is made, according to Eiland, the IDF will take control of all of northern Gaza. Then stop all humanitarian aid from entering the area. Israel claims the plan targets the 5,000 or so Hamas fighters they believe are in the area. The IDF will essentially besiege them. Eiland then believes that Hamas will only have two options: “surrender – or starve.” Anyone who remains in northern Gaza will be legitimate military targets, according to him. According to the plan, Gaza is to be divided in two approximately where the red line runs. All civilians in the north are sent to the south. Netanyahu: The plan makes sense Although Giora Eilan is a retired general, he has a great influence on Israeli security policy, explains news’s correspondent Yama Wolasmal. – Giora Eiland is a highly decorated Israeli general. He is known as one of the great thinkers and strategists in the IDF, and is highly respected. He is constantly used by the Israeli media as a credible expert. Ex-general Giora Eiland is widely used as a military expert in Israel Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news The Israeli national broadcaster Kan quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that Eiland’s plan “makes sense” and that it is “considered”. An Israeli official quoted by CNN confirmed the quote. But he also said that: “looking at it positively does not mean that it will be adopted.” Now more people are pushing for the IDF to implement Eiland’s ideas, says Wolasmal: – According to the Israeli media, Netanyahu’s party colleagues in Likud have stood behind him. They are now trying to persuade as many MPs as possible to vote for this radical plan. – The aim is to be able to declare northern Gaza as a military zone where Israeli forces will be able to do exactly as they want. Likud representative Avichai Boaron is, according to The Guardian, one of several who are pushing. – I hope this plan will help free the hostages, but it will definitely help defeat Hamas. Already densely packed in the south The plan does not say anything about what will happen to Palestinian civilians who cannot or will not leave the area. Eiland nevertheless insists that the plan is in line with international law. He believes that sieges, and even starvation of enemy combatants, are legitimate, as long as the goal is to spare civilians. – A siege is the most effective way to end wars quickly, while reducing the number of casualties, both among our soldiers and civilians, the plan states. According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 40 people were killed and another 60 injured in an Israeli airstrike on a humanitarian zone in Khan Younis on September 10, 2024. Photo: Mohammed Salem / Reuters Expert: Breaking with international law Historian and Middle East expert Hilde Henriksen Waage believes otherwise that a possible forced evacuation would violate international law: – The Israelis call it evacuating people. But evacuating means rescuing people. What they want to do here is forcibly relocate people. To areas that are dangerous. Middle East historian Hilde Henriksen Waage believes that according to the plan, the civilians will be forcibly moved to areas the Israelis are still bombing. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news – But after all, isn’t it better to get civilians out before the IDF fights its opponents in northern Gaza? – The forced transfer of hundreds of thousands of people to the south, packing them together in very small areas where there is no food, shelter or security. It is no more humane than the way they fight today. – Israel is still bombing in the south, not least in the refugee camps where people have been asked to leave, says Henriksen Waage. Published 24.09.2024, at 18.55
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Israel considers forcibly relocating up to half a million Palestinians – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
