In a move that has sent ripples through diplomatic circles and ignited international debate, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump met at the White House on July 7, 2025, to discuss a controversial proposal: the forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries. The talks, which occurred as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas continued in Qatar, have drawn condemnation from Palestinian leaders, human rights organizations, and a broad array of international actors, who warn that any such plan would violate international law and threaten regional stability.
High-Stakes Dialogue Amid Ongoing Conflict
The meeting between Netanyahu and Trump took place against the backdrop of a 21-month war in Gaza that has left more than 61,700 Palestinians dead and displaced nearly two million, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. With indirect talks in Doha failing to yield a breakthrough, the leaders’ focus shifted to what they described as a “vision” for postwar Gaza — a vision that includes the permanent relocation of its population.
Netanyahu told reporters, “We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realise what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we’re getting close to finding several countries”. Trump echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Palestinians should be given the opportunity to leave Gaza if they wish, and that the U.S. would oversee reconstruction efforts in the territory.
“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said during the White House dinner, as reported by China Daily Asia.
Forced Migration or “Bold Vision”? The Heart of the Controversy
The proposal, which Netanyahu and Trump have framed as offering Palestinians a “better future” outside Gaza, has been widely interpreted by critics as forced displacement — a violation of the Geneva Conventions and a potential war crime under international law. Human rights organisations, including the International Commission of Jurists, have condemned Israel’s ongoing displacement policies and warned that making Gaza uninhabitable amounts to “deliberately rendering life in Gaza unsustainable and forcing Palestinians to leave”.
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called Trump’s proposal “ethnic cleansing,” stating, “There is a name for this — ethnic cleansing — and it’s a war crime”. The United Nations has repeatedly cautioned that the forced removal or transfer of civilians in an occupied area is explicitly forbidden under international humanitarian law and is “tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.
“The forcible transfer of civilian populations is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions, to which both the US and Israel are signatories,” the Associated Press reported.
International and Regional Response
The reaction from the Palestinian leadership has been swift and categorical. “The Palestinian people remain steadfast and committed to their land, refusing to abandon their homeland regardless of the U.S. President’s stance,” Hamas spokesperson Husam Badran told Newsweek. Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, have also rejected the plan. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated, “Our rejection of the displacement of Palestinians is firm and will not change. Jordan is for Jordanians, and Palestine is for Palestinians”.
Sudan and Somalia, both approached by U.S. and Israeli officials as potential host countries for displaced Palestinians, have firmly rejected the proposal, citing their own domestic challenges and the illegality of forced population transfers. The Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have issued statements strongly opposing any displacement of Palestinians from their land.
The Numbers Behind the Crisis
Since March 2025, Israeli military operations have intensified, with 684,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced by 47 evacuation orders, according to the International Commission of Jurists. As of late June, 82.6% of Gaza’s territory had been placed within Israeli-militarised zones or under displacement orders. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that makeshift shelters and displacement camps are overcrowded, and even those seeking refuge in designated “humanitarian zones” have been targeted by military strikes.
“The Israeli authorities must end mass killings of civilians, extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and starvation as a method of warfare,” said Saïd Barbarian, ICJ Middle East and North Africa Programme Director.
“Humanitarian City” or Precursor to Deportation?
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has announced plans to move all Palestinians in Gaza into a “humanitarian city” in Rafah, initially accommodating 600,000 people but ultimately intended for the entire population of 2.1 million. Katz explained that only those cleared of Hamas affiliation would be allowed into the camp, and they would not be permitted to leave. Critics warn that this is a precursor to mass deportation outside the Gaza Strip.
Michael Sfard, an Israeli human rights attorney, described the plan as “all population transfer to the southern Gaza in preparation [for] deportation outside [the] strip,” in comments to The Guardian.
U.S. and Israeli Strategy: Seeking Host Nations
According to multiple sources, Israel and the U.S. have approached several countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland, to discuss the possibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza. Thus far, none have agreed to participate. The Trump administration has framed the effort as a “real estate development” project, envisioning the transformation of Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” under U.S. control, with Palestinians relocated to “beautiful communities” elsewhere.
“No, they wouldn’t [return],” Trump said when asked about the right of return, adding that he envisioned “much better housing” for them elsewhere.
Ceasefire Talks and the Broader Diplomatic Landscape
The Netanyahu-Trump meeting coincided with ongoing indirect negotiations in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and a potential hostage-release deal. Trump expressed optimism about the prospects for peace, telling reporters, “I think things are going along very well”. However, Israeli officials have said that Hamas’s proposed amendments to the ceasefire plan are “unacceptable,” and no breakthrough has yet been achieved.
Netanyahu’s visit to Washington also followed a joint U.S.-Israeli operation targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, an action both leaders hailed as a success. Netanyahu nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize during the White House dinner, underscoring the close alignment between the two leaders on regional security and diplomatic strategy.
Humanitarian Impact and Legal Implications
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Since the breach of a ceasefire in March, Israeli bombardment and ground operations have killed 5,833 Palestinians and injured over 20,000, with the death toll rising daily. The majority of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents are now internally displaced, living in conditions described by aid agencies as catastrophic.
The International Commission of Jurists and other legal experts warn that the forcible transfer of Gaza’s population could constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity, including when there is no genuine choice for the population but to leave. The Rome Statute, which governs the International Criminal Court, prohibits aiding or abetting crimes against humanity, and international observers have cautioned that pushing for population transfer from Gaza could expose both Israeli and U.S. officials to legal liability.
Regional and Global Stakes
The proposal to forcibly transfer Palestinians from Gaza has far-reaching implications for the Middle East and the international order. Arab states have signalled that any such move would destabilise the region and undermine prospects for a two-state solution, a position echoed by the United Nations and the European Union. The plan also risks deepening divisions between Israel and its neighbours, many of whom already host large Palestinian refugee populations.
“The international community must ensure that the Israeli authorities’ stated goal of permanently displacing Palestinians out of their land, which would amount to an international crime, be unequivocally abandoned,” the International Commission of Jurists urged in a July 1 statement.
A Test for International Law and Diplomacy
The Netanyahu-Trump proposal represents a critical test for the international community’s commitment to upholding humanitarian law and the rights of displaced populations. While the leaders have characterised their plan as offering choice and opportunity, the practical realities on the ground — widespread destruction, lack of safe haven, and the absence of willing host nations — suggest that any relocation would be, in effect, forced.
The debate has also exposed deep rifts within Israeli society and the broader Jewish diaspora, with some far-right politicians endorsing the plan and others warning that it would irreparably damage Israel’s international standing. In the United States, the proposal has become a flash point in the presidential campaign, with critics warning that it undermines America’s credibility as a defender of human rights.
Uncertain Prospects and Continued Resistance
As the ceasefire talks in Qatar continue, the fate of Gaza’s population hangs in the balance. Palestinian leaders have vowed to resist any attempt at forced displacement, and international legal and diplomatic pressure on Israel and the United States is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead. The outcome of these negotiations — and the willingness of the international community to enforce its own legal norms — will shape the future of Gaza and the broader region.
“The Palestinian people remain steadfast and committed to their land, refusing to abandon their homeland regardless of the U.S. President’s stance,” Hamas spokesperson Husam Badran reiterated.
The coming months will reveal whether the Netanyahu-Trump vision for Gaza is realised, resisted, or re imagined. For now, the world watches as the humanitarian crisis deepens and the debate over the rights of displaced peoples moves to the centre of the global stage.