Edited by: Alanah Vargas | JURIST Staff, US
Earlier this month, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz proposed relocating Gaza’s population to designated camps in the southern part of the Strip—an initiative that has drawn international criticism and raised legal concerns over potential violations of international law. Leaked documents and government briefings appear to outline a structured effort to relocate Palestinians into tightly controlled zones, raising questions about freedom of movement and the right of return under international humanitarian and human rights law.
What is the “Humanitarian City” Proposal?
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has championed a proposal to concentrate Gaza’s population into what he calls a “humanitarian city” built on the ruins of Rafah. According to Israeli journalists briefed on the proposal, Palestinians would undergo a “security screening” before entering, and once inside would not be allowed to leave.
Initially, around 600,000 Palestinians, mainly those currently displaced in the al-Mawasi area, would be relocated to the site. Katz envisions eventually housing the entire population of Gaza—over two million people—within this “humanitarian city,” with the stated intention of maintaining full perimeter control through Israeli forces. Katz has also publicly stated that Israel supports encouraging the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians, and that “the emigration plan…will happen.”
How Are US-Backed “Humanitarian Transit Areas” Connected to Israel’s Proposal?
A parallel proposal reviewed by Reuters, linked to the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, outlined what it called “Humanitarian Transit Areas” either within Gaza or beyond its borders. The $2 billion plan, reportedly shared with the Trump administration and recently discussed at the White House, framed the camps as “large-scale,” “voluntary” facilities where Palestinians could “temporarily reside, de-radicalize, re-integrate and prepare to relocate if they wish to do so.”
The facilities, according to sources cited by Reuters, were also intended to help gain “trust with the local population” and support Trump’s “vision for Gaza.” However, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has denied any involvement, stating it is “not planning for implementing Humanitarian Transit Areas (HTAs)” and focuses its efforts solely on distributing food.
What Role Do Corporations Play in Facilitating the Relocation Plans?
A recent report titled “From economy of occupation to economy of genocide” by UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, outlined how corporations have contributed and continue to contribute to the infrastructure of displacement. According to the report, Caterpillar Inc. has for decades “provided Israel with equipment used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure, through both the United States Foreign Military Financing programme and an exclusive licensee requisitioned by Israeli law into the military.”
The report alleged that Caterpillar’s machinery was used in “mass demolitions—including of homes, mosques and life-sustaining infrastructure—[to] raid hospitals and [bury] alive wounded Palestinians” since October 2023. Other companies named in the report included HD Hyundai, Doosan, and Volvo Group for their alleged roles in long-standing property destruction.
Albanese further noted in the report that corporate entities not only contributed to destruction, but also to the construction of “building colonies and their infrastructure, extracting and trading materials, energy and agricultural products, and bringing visitors to colonies as if to a regular holiday destination.”
What is the Proposed Timeline and Scope?
Israel’s planning documents are said to include slides showing a camp that it hopes will be operational within 90 days, housing 2,160 people and offering basic services such as laundry, showers, and schools. The plans outlined a total of eight camps, each potentially housing hundreds of thousands of people.
Katz has suggested the project could commence during a possible ceasefire, noting that the military could begin constructing the “humanitarian city” within a 60-day ceasefire allegedly being discussed by US President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
How is Demolition Shaping Israel’s Relocation Plans?
Satellite images show the extent of Israel’s intensified demolitions in Rafah, clearing the area for large-scale displacement. Between April 4 and July 4, 2025, the number of demolished buildings rose from 15,800 to 28,600—a staggering 12,800 structures in three months.
Interestingly, key structures such as 40 educational institutions (39 schools and one university) and eight medical centers remain untouched. Analysts believe this selective destruction to be intentional, preserving infrastructure that may serve the future encampments.
What are the Legal and Ethical Implications?
The proposals have drawn sharp condemnation from legal experts and human rights advocates. Renowned Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard stated that “(Katz) laid out an operational plan for a crime against humanity. It is nothing less than that,” describing it as a “population transfer to the southern tip of the Gaza Strip in preparation for deportation outside the strip.”
A group of international law scholars warned in an open letter that the plan amounts to “forcible transfer,” a violation of international law. They wrote that if carried out, it would represent “a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and under certain conditions, could amount to the crime of genocide.”
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, cautioned that the plan would “de facto create massive concentration camps at the border with Egypt for the Palestinians.” Analyst Daniel Levy told Al Jazeera that Israel intends to use Rafah “as a staging post to ethnically cleanse, physically remove, as many Palestinians as possible from the landscape.”
What is the Impact on Ceasefire Negotiations?
The proposed relocation has complicated negotiations for a ceasefire as Hamas has cited Katz’s plan as a major obstacle. Senior Hamas member Husam Badran called the proposed encampment “an isolated city that resembles a ghetto,” dismissing it as a “deliberately obstructive demand” that is “utterly unacceptable.”
A major point of contention is Israel’s control over the Morag Corridor, located just north of Rafah as control of this area would enable Israel to encircle Rafah and potentially facilitate large-scale displacement.
How Likely Are These Plans to Come to Fruition?
Some Israeli officials have suggested that the plan may have more to do with political signaling than execution. Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed the proposal was unlikely to be realized and may have been floated to justify a ceasefire agreement.
Nevertheless, the extensive groundwork—selective demolitions, logistical preparations, and detailed documents—indicates that implementation remains a possibility. Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy, warned that “[Israel is] already preparing the area, and if the world is passive and the US gives its green light, it might work.”
The international community now faces urgent decisions: whether to act against what legal experts warn may constitute genocide, and whether corporate actors allegedly enabling these actions may face legal accountability under international law.
