Israel Says Gaza Depopulation Plan Awaits U.S. Approval

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on September 2, 2026, that his government maintains plans to remove the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip and is awaiting U.S. approval to proceed, a position rights advocates condemn as a call for ethnic cleansing. Speaking at a conference in Israel, Katz asserted that depopulating Gaza remains the only viable solution and that Israel is operationally prepared to execute such a plan. "There is no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration," Katz told the gathering. He claimed that 80 percent of Gaza's residents wish to migrate, a figure he said was based on unspecified surveys. However, a May 2026 survey by the Israeli military's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories showed that nearly 80 percent of respondents wanted information about relocating to third countries, not necessarily a permanent departure. Independent polls have indicated that a significant portion, often a majority, of Gaza's population wishes to remain in the territory despite widespread destruction.