The Israeli prime minister also said Israel reserves the right to not reveal when ’the gates of Hell would be opened’ if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday evening, after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that he wants Gazans to have the option to leave the area.
“Why not give Gazans a choice?” he said in remarks to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “Everybody said this is the largest open-air prison in the world. Not because of us, we let people leave.”
He said that to successfully leave Gaza, Palestinians have to bribe their way out, noting that over the last two or so years, Israel estimates that around 150,000 Gazans left.
“You know how they left? Because they bribed their way out, not through us … the rich could leave,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu floated the idea of neighboring states and the authorities in Gaza extending to Gazans the choice to leave. About 1.7 million people remain in Gaza.
“If other people wanted to leave, give them a choice, not forcible eviction, not ethnic cleansing,” he said. “If people want to leave, if they want to emigrate, it’s their choice. And I think President Trump’s plan is right on the dot.”
U.S. President Donald Trump proposed on Jan. 25 to “clean out” the war-torn region for demining and rebuilding, asking Gaza’s neighbors to accept refugees from the “demolition site” into their territories.
“I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change,” the president said. No Arab countries have agreed to accept any Palestinian refugees.
The ambitious goal of American-led redevelopment of Gaza would take years, Trump said.
Negotiations Continue
Negotiations for the continuation of the cease-fire deal with the Hamas terrorist group are ongoing, Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Sunday. According to his office, Israel’s negotiation teams have been instructed to leave for talks in Cairo on Feb. 17 “to discuss the continued implementation of the first stage of the deal.”
By Melanie Sun
