Months after the adoption of the “Trump Plan,” many in Gaza are eager to emigrate—but no real progress has been made.
Despite a sharp rise in demand to leave, no official channels are available. Most residents don’t even know who to contact. Since February, only a few hundred Palestinians have managed to exit, primarily the sick and wounded.
Sources in Gaza told Israel Hayom that despite reports of Israeli text messages offering help, no official Israeli contact has been made. One resident said he reached out to COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) but received no reply. A check of COGAT’s Arabic website and Facebook page shows no information or guidance for Gazans seeking to emigrate.
The process, according to Israeli sources, involves first checking if applicants are linked to Hamas. If cleared, the Israeli Defense Ministry’s new Migration Directorate is supposed to handle their exit. However, there's currently no third country willing to take in large numbers of Palestinians. As a result, emigration is happening at a trickle, if at all.