Israel’s interior minister sees off departing Gazans at Eilat airport
Hundreds of Palestinians have already been flown to third countries, primarily Germany, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.
Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel visited Ramon Airport near Eilat in the country’s south on Tuesday afternoon to inspect “the voluntary departure process” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, his ministry said.
“Dozens of Gazans were flown to Leipzig, Germany, on a designated flight accompanied by German diplomats today,” said the Population and Immigration Authority, which falls under the Interior Ministry.
“Since the beginning of the initiative, hundreds of Gazans have been flown to a third country, most of them to Germany, Romania and the United Arab Emirates,” according to the statement.
During his visit to the Jewish state’s southernmost international airport, Arbel was accompanied by representatives from the Border Control Administration, part of the Population and Immigration Authority.
Israel’s Security Cabinet on March 22 approved Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposal to establish a new directorate within the ministry to facilitate the voluntary emigration of residents from Gaza.
Katz stressed that the initiative aligns with the vision of U.S. President Donald Trump, who is seeking to turn the 25 miles of Gaza’s coastline into a real estate development and relocate some 2.2 million residents.
“We are working with all means to implement the U.S. president’s vision, and we will allow any Gaza resident who wants to move to a third state to do so,” stated Katz last month.
However, the German Federal Foreign Office rejected suggestions that Tuesday’s flight was part of the emigration efforts, calling the claim “wrong” in multiple responses to social media users on Tuesday.
“19 German citizens and close family members were repatriated from Gaza to Germany today,” stated Berlin. It added, “We thank the Israeli authorities for close cooperation on this matter. We have repeatedly made clear that Gaza’s civilian population must not be displaced.”
A spokesperson for the Population and Immigration Authority did not want to add to the agency’s initial announcement in response to Berlin, telling JNS on Wednesday afternoon, “This is the statement that was officially released. These are the facts. There is no debate here.”
A survey published in the British Telegraph last month revealed that 52% of Palestinians from Gaza, or over 1.1 million people, would leave the Strip either temporarily or permanently if given the opportunity.
Demographic analysis revealed that residents under the age of 34 and those living in the most heavily damaged areas of Gaza City and Khan Younis in the south expressed the strongest interest in leaving.
Among potential destination countries, Germany—which currently hosts an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Palestinians—was preferred by 13% of respondents. Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates followed closely behind at 12%, 10% and 10%, respectively.
On March 19, a group of 70 Gazans left for various European countries through Ramon Airport. These Palestinians or their family members already held foreign passports, facilitating their resettlement abroad.
Photo: Israel Interior Minister Moshe Arbel at Ramon Airport near Eilat, 1 April 2025. Source: Population and Immigration Authority.
Related:
Israeli Cabinet Approves Agency to Depopulate Gaza, 23 March 2025
UAE Sabotaging Arab League Gaza-reconstruction Plan, 17 March 2025
Israel’s Smotrich Announces `Migration Directorate` to Transfer Palestinians, 9 March 2025
