Israel has escalated demolition operations in Rafah, a move seen as preparation for a plan to transfer the entire population of Gaza to a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza. Satellite data shows that over 28,600 buildings have been destroyed in Rafah since April, with thousands more set to be demolished.
The plan, backed by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, aims to relocate 2 million Palestinians from their homes to a new city in Rafah. The Israeli defence minister has stated that the goal is to encourage Palestinians to “voluntarily emigrate” and create “concentration camps” for those who refuse to leave.
Critics warn that this plan would deprive Palestinians of any prospects of a better future in their homeland, and would amount to an overt crime against humanity under international humanitarian law. The destruction of schools, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure has been selectively targeted, with many facilities being spared in order to preserve them for use as humanitarian shelters.
Israel’s military leaders believe that the plan is part of a broader strategy to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, using Rafah as a staging post. The distribution of aid to displaced Palestinians is also seen as a key component of this plan, aimed at social-demographic engineering and relocating Palestinians out of their homes.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with the Israeli government refusing to accept Hamas’s demands for aid mechanisms and military withdrawal. The US has offered to pressure Israel into accepting a ceasefire proposal, but observers believe that Netanyahu is unlikely to sign any deal that would leave Hamas in power.
The “end game” of this plan is widely seen as ethnic cleansing, with many experts doubting its feasibility. If left unchecked, the destruction of Gaza and the displacement of its people could have devastating consequences for regional stability.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/7/13/israel-increased-rafah-demolition-to-prepare-for-gaza-forced-transfer-plan