Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has considered a plan proposed by former major general Giora Eiland that would involve laying total siege to northern Gaza and expelling all its Palestinian residents. The plan, often referred to as the “generals’ plan,” aims to change the reality on the ground in Gaza by forcing Hamas fighters to surrender or starve. According to Eiland, who is a former director of the National Security Council and former head of the Planning Department of the Israel Defense Forces, this ethnic cleansing and siege of northern Gaza would be both an effective military tactic and compliant with international law.
Eiland has been critical of Israel’s current strategy in the war against Hamas and Palestinian civilians, claiming that it is not harsh enough against the Palestinian population. He argues that controlling the population is crucial for victory in modern wars. In a closed-door meeting with the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu expressed his agreement with the plan, calling it “the right direction” for Israeli policy in Gaza. However, it remains unclear whether Palestinians would ever be allowed to return to northern Gaza if the plan is implemented.
In October, a leaked document from Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence recommended the total transfer of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, ensuring they would not be able to return. The document proposes that Israel should evacuate the Gazan population during the war and establish tent cities and new cities in northern Sinai to accommodate them. A closed security zone stretching several kilometers inside Egypt would also be created to prevent deported Palestinians from returning near the Israeli border.
In November, Israeli minister Ron Dermer proposed a plan to “thin out” the Gaza population by forcing civilians to flee to Egypt or other parts of Africa and Europe. This idea has garnered support from many Israelis who wish to conquer and destroy Gaza, ethnically cleanse it of Palestinians, and build settlements for Jews in their place.
