Overview

• Defence Minister Israel Katz proposed on July 7 a sealed “humanitarian city” in Rafah to house up to 600,000 displaced Gazans during a 60-day ceasefire, later expanding to encompass Gaza’s entire population.
• The plan would subject newcomers to security screenings to exclude Hamas affiliates and bar residents from leaving, with the Israeli military overseeing the perimeter.
• Former PM Ehud Olmert, UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority have denounced it as a concentration camp, and Israeli human rights scholars warn it could amount to crimes against humanity or genocide.
• Senior Israeli security figures, including army chief Eyal Zamir, criticised the scheme as a distraction from defeating Hamas and fear it could pave the way for reoccupation of Gaza.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s backing and Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the designated zone have become a key obstacle to unlocking a truce.