Israel kills three in Gaza amid minister's expulsion plan

Israeli airstrikes killed at least three Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday, including a 13-year-old child, as a far-right government minister unveiled a plan to forcibly remove the territory’s two million residents within seven years.

The attacks occurred despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreed in October. A drone strike in Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood killed one person and wounded several others, while Israeli forces opened fire in Beit Lahia, killing a child and an adult, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel’s military claimed it targeted two armed individuals near a buffer zone known as the Yellow Line. Since the ceasefire, more than 1,330 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, per the local health ministry, with the overall death toll exceeding 73,000 since October 2023.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proposed a phased plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza, starting with 250,000 in the first year and reaching 1.9 million within seven years. His office said the scheme involves creating a new ministry and securing agreements with third countries to absorb Gazans. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has previously spoken of Israel’s intent to push Palestinians out of Gaza. Forced displacement is prohibited under international law, and the majority of Gaza’s population has already been internally displaced by the conflict.

The plan and ongoing violence underscore Israel’s hardening stance toward Gaza’s civilian population. Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure, framed the proposal as a “realistic” solution to the conflict, but critics warn it risks further destabilizing the region. With no political resolution in sight, the combination of military pressure and policy proposals signals a deepening crisis for Palestinians in Gaza.