Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that Israel remains prepared to facilitate the emigration of Gazans willing to leave, but that the Trump administration has frozen the plan under Arab pressure. Katz made the remarks in an interview with the Times of Israel, reiterating his assessment that 80% of Gazans wish to leave but are prevented by Hamas.
The statement, reported by the Times of Israel on Wednesday evening, echoes remarks Katz made earlier in the day in which he laid out the same figures and described the Trump administration's freeze on the migration initiative. In that earlier briefing, Katz expressed confidence that the plan would regain momentum once it becomes clear that Hamas cannot fulfill its commitments. The defense minister's comments come against a backdrop of growing divergence between Jerusalem and Washington over Gaza policy. The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday that Katz described the absence of a lasting solution for Gaza without large-scale emigration, and noted that Israel is prepared to facilitate departure by sea, air, or other routes.
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