In a strong statement on Tuesday, the Arab League condemned Israel's proposal to relocate Gaza's entire civilian population to a new "humanitarian city" in Rafah, calling it "ethnic cleansing" and an "ethical decline of the occupation." The pan-Arab organization urged the international community to demand an immediate ceasefire and block what it described as an "inhumane scheme."
The plan, outlined by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, envisions transferring roughly 600,000 Palestinians from al-Mawasi to the southern city within 60 days of a ceasefire, eventually moving all 2 million residents of Gaza into the area. Critics warn this would effectively confine them to a giant concentration camp.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told The Guardian, "It is a concentration camp. If they will be deported into the new 'humanitarian city,' then you can say that this is part of an ethnic cleansing."
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported at least 875 fatalities at aid distribution points in Gaza over the last six weeks, most of them near sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). UN experts have labeled the GHF aid model "inherently unsafe" and a breach of humanitarian impartiality.
As ceasefire negotiations resume in Doha this month, mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt are pushing a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, phased hostage releases, and partial Israeli troop withdrawals. But deep divisions remain over the scope of an Israeli pullback from the Palestinian enclave.
With tensions rising, international observers warn that the future of Gaza's people hangs in the balance, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable ceasefire and a shift toward genuine humanitarian relief.
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Arab League condemns Israel's 'humanitarian city' plan in Gaza
cgtn.com
