Eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries have rejected the plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza. Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning recent proposals by Israeli officials. They called the plan wrong and harmful.
There statement specifically criticized Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz over their comments about moving Palestinians out of Gaza. The eight countries warned that their plan could cause real harm.
Ben-Gvir recently shared a detailed plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza over seven years. He wants 250,000 people to leave in the first year. By year seven, he wants almost all 2 million Palestinians in Gaza gone. He calls this a voluntary choice, but many people see it as forced removal.
Katz says nothing will really fix Gaza unless people leave. He is also in charge of a special office that was created to promote the plan. He says the plan is ready to start. It only needs approval from the United States.
The eight countries say this plan violates international law and rules that protect civilians during war. It breaks rules that countries agree to follow, especially during war. They say every Palestinian has the right to stay on their own land. War and politics should never force people from their homes.
The countries warned that putting these ideas into policy could affect more than just Palestinians. They said it could also harm peace efforts across the region and increase the risk of further conflict. They warned that years of efforts to end the war could be put at risk.
The statement also points to a peace plan from US President Donald Trump. His Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict already promises that Israel will not force anyone to leave Gaza. The eight countries say Ben-Gvir’s and Katz’s plans break that promise.
The United States also rejected the plan. Mike Huckabee, the US Ambassador to Israel, made clear that Israel is not planning to force any Palestinians out of Gaza.
The eight countries also called for Gaza and the West Bank to remain connected as part of a single Palestinian territory. They said East Jerusalem should also remain part of that territory.
They believe peace can only come through a two-state solution. Under this plan, Israel and a new Palestinian state would exist side by side. The borders would be based on the boundaries that existed before the 1967 war.
The ministers from these eight countries called on the United Nations Security Council to take action. They want the UN body to reject every plan that could change the population or borders of the land.
This ongoing war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. According to health officials, more than 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since then.
Israel will also hold national elections on October 27. Experts say right wing candidates have increasingly talked about relocating Palestinians as the election gets closer.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has continued since October 2025, but talks about the next phase have moved slowly. The eight countries said they strongly oppose any effort to force Palestinians to leave their homes. They argued that lasting peace must protect Palestinian rights and allow people to remain on their land.
