Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz held a security consultative meeting this evening, Thursday, at the ministry’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, to discuss the possibility and options for displacing the residents of the Gaza Strip “voluntarily.”

“I welcome US President Donald Trump’s bold plan,” Katz said. “Gaza residents should be allowed to enjoy freedom of exit and immigration as is customary everywhere in the world. The plan will include exit options at land crossings as well as special arrangements for exits by sea and air.”

“Hamas has used the people of Gaza as human shields and built terrorist infrastructure in the heart of the population, and is now holding them hostage, extorting money from them using humanitarian aid, and preventing them from leaving Gaza,” he added.

He also pointed out that “countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway and others, which have made false accusations and claims against Israel because of its activities in Gaza, are obligated by law to allow all Gazans to enter their territories and their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse to do so.”

He stressed that "there are countries, such as Canada, that have an organized immigration program and have previously expressed their desire to receive residents from Gaza."