Interior Minister Moshel Arbel of the Shas Party announced that 16 flights to relocate Gazan civilians have already departed from Ramon Airport, and many more are expected to follow.

“More than 16 flights have already departed from Ramon Airport. This will increase in the near future,” Arbel said at a Yedioth Aharonoth conference on Monday.

Since US President Donald Trump put forward a proposal to relocate Palestinian civilians during the reconstruction of Gaza, the Israeli government has explored several avenues of implementing the plan.

In recent weeks, Israel’s Defense Ministry has been working closely with Gazan civilians to coordinate their relocation, offering transportation to Ramon Airport or the Allenby Crossing at the Israel-Jordan border. This followed unsuccessful attempts by US President Trump to persuade the leaders of Egypt and Jordan to take in large numbers of Gazans.

A few hundred Gazans departed to the UAE for medical treatment, and more are expected to make the trip.

A report earlier this week suggested that around 1,000 Gazans had left the Strip in the first three weeks of March, with an additional 600 expected by month’s end. However, Wednesday’s update revealed that 2,000 individuals have already crossed through the Kerem Shalom crossing in recent weeks, heading to the Allenby Crossing or Ramon Airport, with more departing Gaza via the Rafah Crossing.

Image - WIN/Palestinians board an Arkia flight to Larnaca, Cyprus, from Ilan and Asaf Ramon Airport, August 22, 2022. (COGAT)