Yesterday, in an interview with the foreign press, government spokesman Elon Levy denied that Israel intends to transfer Palestinian residents from the Gaza Strip, and said that all this talk is “a lie and a scandal.” Levy's words came in response to a question directed to him, and to the accusations of the Jordanian Foreign Minister that Israel has "an intentional policy of expelling the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip during the war."

In fact, the words of Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi intersect with concerns expressed by diplomats of other countries regarding Israel's attempt to expel the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, or encourage them to immigrate to other countries. The Israeli Embassy in Washington was forced to issue a clarification last month regarding an article published by Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel, in which she proposed a “voluntary transfer” of Gaza residents. The embassy said that the article did not represent government policy.

Three diplomats from Western countries that have supported Israel since the beginning of the war confirmed to Haaretz that the issue was raised in talks with senior Israeli officials in recent weeks, and the Israeli minister’s words were not the only reason. Fear has emerged among more than one Western government that the Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Drimmer, who is close to Netanyahu, is studying the possibility of encouraging immigration. In response to a question asked by these governments about this matter, Dreamer completely denied the matter.

Egypt also expressed its concern about Israel's attempt to push the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip towards its borders. The issue was raised in talks between Egyptian officials and the American administration in light of the expansion of the Israeli military operation southward, and near the Gaza Strip’s borders with Egypt. Vice President Kamala Harris also confirmed in her meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi her opposition to any attempt to expel citizens from the Gaza Strip or encourage immigration to other countries. This is in addition to the United States’ opposition to establishing Israeli settlements in Gaza, changing the border line in the Strip, or permanently occupying it by Israel.

Levy's denial was categorical, and he considered the Jordanian warnings of the consequences of expelling the Palestinian population from Gaza as "false and scandalous accusations." He added that Israel encourages the population to move to safe areas and stay away from combat zones, and it does not encourage them to move to another country.

One diplomat familiar with the matter told Haaretz that Levy's words were "encouraging and important, but if Israel wants to reassure its friends in the world, it must say it through higher-ranking people and in Hebrew."