Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed” if Israel achieves victory in its ongoing military campaign.
Smotrich, a senior figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, made the comments on Tuesday at a conference in the West Bank, laying out a vision for Gaza that involves the total destruction of the territory and the forced displacement of its population.
“We will be able to announce victory in Gaza within a year,” Smotrich told the audience.
“Gaza will be entirely devastated, and civilians will be directed to the south into a humanitarian zone devoid of Hamas and terrorism, from where they will begin to migrate in large numbers to third countries,” he said, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
Smotrich’s comments came just a day after Israel’s security cabinet approved a new military plan, dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which involves the conquest and occupation of the Gaza Strip. The plan includes holding territory and relocating the population south “for their own safety”, according to Israeli officials.
Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed the idea of moving Gaza’s population, saying in a video message on X that “the population will be moved, for its own protection”, but did not provide further details.
Smotrich, however, went further than other officials, stating that many Palestinians would be driven out of Gaza altogether. He said the goal is to create a “humanitarian zone” in the south, “absent of Hamas and terrorism”, and that from there, civilians would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries”.
The comments have raised alarm among international observers and human rights groups, who warn that such actions could amount to ethnic cleansing or forced transfer of civilians, which are considered crimes under international law.
The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have also criticised Israel’s new aid delivery plan, saying it would leave many in Gaza without supplies and appears to “reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic — as part of a military strategy,” per the BBC.
The UK’s Middle East minister, Hamish Falconer, responded in a statement, “Any attempt to annex land in Gaza would be unacceptable.
“Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change.
“We want this war to end.”
Meanwhile, Egypt and Jordan have said they will not allow refugees from Gaza to cross into their countries, citing concerns about being complicit in forced displacement.
Hamas has said it will not engage in further ceasefire talks while Israel’s “hunger war” continues.
“There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip,” said Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, per Al Jazeera.
As for Australia, no officials have addressed Smotrich’s latest comments. However, on Tuesday morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked by Radio National about the possibility of Netanyahu’s arrest under Albanese’s government, per the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants.
“I’ve answered that multiple times, as has the Attorney-General, Mr Dreyfus, and we don’t speculate on hypotheticals,” she started.
“One of the things I would say about this election, though, the Middle East conflict has been so deeply distressing for so many people and it has been polarising in the Australian community because people do have very strongly held, different views,” she continued.
“We have always said, let’s not bring the conflict here. And I think the result on Saturday demonstrates that Australians also don’t think we should bring that kind of anger and conflict into our society. We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire, for the return of hostages and for humanitarian aid to flow.”
What happens next?
The Israeli government’s plan for Gaza is set to be implemented gradually, with officials saying it will not begin until after a planned visit by former US President Donald Trump to the region next week, according to Reuters.
The US President has been very vocal about his views on moving Palestinians out of their country to build the “Riviera of the Middle East” in the past.
Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have already faced months of intense conflict, displacement, and a near-total blockade on aid. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that over 52,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with essential supplies like food, fuel, and medicine running out after Israel imposed a siege in March 2025.
Lead image: AP Images
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