(March 26, 2025 / JNS) For the first time, approximately 100 Palestinians from Gaza will travel to Indonesia for employment in the construction sector as part of a voluntary migration pilot program, Hebrew media reported on Wednesday.

The initiative is overseen by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), led by Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, according to Channel 12 News. If successful, responsibility for the program will shift to Israel’s Migration Directorate, established by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

The goal of the pilot is to demonstrate the feasibility of voluntary migration and encourage thousands of Gazans to take up construction jobs in Indonesia, according to the report. While international law permits those who leave Gaza for work to return, the broader objective is to facilitate long-term migration, contingent upon Indonesia’s cooperation.