GazaHerald – The Israeli government’s plans to build a concentration camp in southern Gaza have drawn increasing international and domestic outrage. Critics have warned that the project is a “dangerous illusion” that may amount to a war crime.
According to Hebrew media reports on Monday, Israeli army estimates now suggest the construction of the planned encampment, intended to house some 600,000 displaced Palestinians, will take at least a year to complete, far longer than the previously promised five to six months.
The project, which is to be built atop the ruins of Rafah following its near-total destruction by Israeli forces, is also expected to cost between $10 and $15 billion, far exceeding earlier budget projections.
The revised timeline and soaring costs have triggered sharp criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During a recent high-level meeting, Netanyahu reportedly expressed frustration, calling the proposal “unrealistic” and demanding that a revised, faster, and less expensive plan be drawn up. “I asked for a solution that can be implemented within a reasonable time frame,” he said, according to the Hebrew news site Walla.
Participants in the meeting revealed that the army’s assessment, that even relocating just one-tenth of the targeted population would take several months, clashed with political expectations. Netanyahu reportedly accused military planners of intentionally presenting an unfeasible blueprint to undermine the project, which has already drawn condemnation from humanitarian organizations worldwide.
The plan, spearheaded by Israeli officials including Foreign Minister Israel Katz, envisions relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into the fenced-in zone in the southernmost part of Gaza. International aid agencies would be tasked with running four aid distribution centers within the compound. Once relocated, residents would undergo stringent security screenings to ensure no ties to Hamas and would not be permitted to leave the area.
Military Opposition and Warnings of Mission Creep
However, the plan has faced fierce resistance from a wide array of Israeli voices. Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned that implementing the project would divert military focus from Israel’s declared objectives of defeating Hamas and securing the release of captives held in Gaza. Security officials described the proposal as a sprawling “tent city” that could lead to the reestablishment of direct military rule in the Strip.
Yair Lapid, leader of the Israeli opposition, condemned the plan as “a bad idea on every level, security, political, economic, and logistical.” Speaking to Israeli Army Radio, Lapid questioned the basic feasibility of the proposal: “How will this be implemented? Will we keep 600,000 people inside a fenced-in area?”
Legal and ethical concerns are also mounting. A group of 16 international law experts submitted a formal warning to Israel’s defense minister and army chief of staff, cautioning that the forced concentration of civilians into a closed zone may amount to a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Retired Israeli Major General Amos Gilad, formerly a top official in the Ministry of Defense, called the proposal a “political disaster” and warned against Israel becoming entangled in direct governance over Gaza. “This is not a humanitarian city; it is a dangerous illusion,” Gilad said.
International Outrage and Condemnation Mount
International condemnation has been swift. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) described the planned encampment as a “detention camp,” while Amnesty International warned that the forced relocation and confinement of civilians could constitute grave violations of international law.
British Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Hamish Falkner said he was “shocked” by the proposal and emphasized that Palestinians must not be prevented from returning to their towns. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed the criticism, telling German channel ARD that he has been “dissatisfied for weeks” with Israeli policies in Gaza. Merz also confirmed that he had raised his concerns directly with Netanyahu, who remains wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes committed during the ongoing war.
