Two former Israeli prime ministers have voiced strong opposition to current plans by Israel’s government to construct what is being described as a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza, denouncing it as a cover for interning Palestinians in conditions akin to a concentration camp. This proposed camp would be built on the ruins of Rafah, a city that has already suffered widespread destruction from recent military operations.
The controversial plan, which involves relocating over two million Palestinians into a tightly controlled area, is being positioned by Israeli officials as a humanitarian initiative. However, critics argue it represents a drastic move toward ethnic cleansing under the guise of aid and security. According to government announcements, the new area will initially accommodate 600,000 displaced individuals currently sheltering in overcrowded tents along the southern coast of Gaza. But longer-term goals reveal intentions to relocate the enclave’s entire population to this zone.
Over the past few months, satellite imagery has shown a marked acceleration in demolitions across Rafah, with tens of thousands of buildings razed. The destruction has fueled concerns that the so-called humanitarian project is simply a means to systematically dismantle Palestinian communities and erase any future claim they might have to their homeland.
Voices within Israel and across the international community are sounding the alarm. Critics describe the plan as a form of forced internment, arguing that if residents are not allowed to leave the area, it qualifies as a concentration camp. Some have gone further, framing the plan as a step toward ethnic cleansing, particularly if it results in mass deportations and the permanent displacement of Gaza’s population.
Humanitarian officials warn that creating what are effectively internment camps risks repeating the historical trauma of previous Palestinian expulsions. Concerns have been raised that this may mark the onset of a “second Nakba,” a reference to the mass displacement that occurred during the founding of the state of Israel in 1948.
Despite claims by the Israeli government that the transfer of Gaza’s residents would be voluntary, mounting evidence suggests otherwise. The increasing pressure on civilians—through restricted access to aid, the destruction of homes, and the threat of violence—has led many to conclude that this “voluntary” movement is being forced through dire living conditions and desperation.
A key player in this unfolding strategy is a private aid group backed by both the US and Israel. This organization, which is currently one of the few allowed to distribute food in Gaza, has reportedly developed plans to establish large-scale “humanitarian transit areas.” These are envisioned as sites where Palestinians would be housed temporarily, subjected to deradicalization efforts, and potentially prepared for relocation—within or beyond Gaza’s borders.
Since the group began its operations, however, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid at their distribution points, raising further suspicions that the camps may not be about humanitarian support at all but rather part of a broader plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza entirely.
Observers say the overall strategy appears to be focused on concentrating Palestinians into a confined area while imposing unbearable conditions that leave them with little choice but to leave. This tactic of slow, engineered displacement is being interpreted as a calculated effort to depopulate Gaza under the cover of security and aid efforts.
