Ben Gvir unveils ‘voluntary emigration’ plan aimed at removing 1.86 million Palestinians from Gaza

By Ariela Karmel

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3 September 2026, 7:31 pm

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Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

Otzma Yehudit chair and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attends a supporters’ conference ahead of the upcoming general election, in Netanya, September 1, 2026. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir unveils a plan aimed at removing the vast majority of Gaza’s Palestinian population from the territory through what he terms “voluntary emigration,” including by establishing a dedicated government ministry, as the party campaigns ahead of the October 27 election.

Dubbed “Disengagement 710” — a reference to both Israel’s 2005 disengagement from Gaza and the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which many on the Israeli right have blamed in part on the withdrawal — the plan seeks the removal of 250,000 Gazans in its first year, 1.11 million within three years and 1.86 million within seven.

“Instead of illusions of peace now, we need actions of emigration now,” Ben Gvir says. “Instead of digging tunnels, it’s time to pack suitcases.”

The establishment and leadership of an “Emigration Ministry” will be among Otzma Yehudit’s top demands for joining the next government, he adds.

“What a shame they didn’t listen to Gandhi,” Ben Gvir says, referring to assassinated far-right minister Rehavam Ze’evi, who advocated ethnic cleansing and population transfers of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. “It’s time to admit it: Gandhi was right!”

The party promises emigrants an “absorption package” including “assistance with travel, initial housing, vocational training, employment and support for up to 24 months,” as well as payments to host countries based on the number of Gazans they take in. Turkey, Ethiopia, the Congo and unspecified Arab countries are being considered as potential destinations, according to the party.

Otzma Yehudit says that the proposal requires an initial Israeli investment of NIS 10 billion ($3 billion), followed by up to NIS 50 billion ($15.2 billion) in matching funds, based on international participation.

“At first, I was treated as a delusional extremist,” he says. “Then, one day, everything changed: President Trump publicly declared that encouraging emigration was a solution to the Gaza issue. Suddenly, Ben Gvir’s plan became legitimate. Suddenly, everyone became Ben Gvir.”

The proposal comes a day after Defense Minister Israel Katz said plans to facilitate mass emigration from Gaza remain under discussion and were merely “frozen” by Trump, who had initially proposed relocating Gaza’s roughly 2.3 million residents in February 2025, prompting Israel to establish a Defense Ministry directorate tasked with facilitating what officials termed “voluntary emigration.” He later abandoned the proposal amid international opposition and a lack of willing destination countries.