Far-right forces in Israel have long advocated for the current war to end in a way that would allow Jewish settlers to live in Gaza again, as they did until Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's evacuation of all Israeli-controlled areas in 2005.
And in recent months, since Trump won the US election, these thoughts have gained new momentum. Ynet, the digital version of Israel's largest newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, writes, citing sources, that "the green light has been given for a plan to encourage the migration of Gaza residents to a third country, alongside Egypt or Jordan."
According to the description, officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have studied concrete details, including legal aspects. Several ministers have also openly discussed the ideas. However, not Netanyahu himself, which has made the topic still considered highly sensitive.
It is unclear whether this was discussed during the 15 minutes that Netanyahu and Trump had in private at Tuesday's summit. Afterward, Trump came out and declared that the US intends to "take over" Gaza and send its Palestinian population elsewhere.
A largely united international community has reacted with shock and strong skepticism towards the plans. The opposition appears solid even among regional powers such as Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. In combination with uncertainty about how the scenario would work legally, it raises significant question marks about how it would be implemented.
