Key Facts
• Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert criticized Gaza’s ‘humanitarian city’ plan on July 13.
• The plan aims to house hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in southern Gaza.
• Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the military to proceed with the project.
• Palestinians entering the area would not be allowed to leave, per the plan.
• Olmert called the plan a form of ethnic cleansing and likened it to concentration camps.
• Israeli PM’s office accused Olmert of damaging Israel’s reputation on CNN.
• Olmert previously served 16 months in prison for corruption, released in 2017.
• Over 58,000 deaths reported in Gaza since the conflict began, per Palestinian Health Ministry.
• Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the plan, calling it an extreme right-wing agenda.
• Human rights lawyer Michael Sfard labeled the plan as forced displacement and a war crime.
Summary
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has condemned a proposed ‘humanitarian city’ in Gaza, intended to house hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as a ‘concentration camp.’ The plan, led by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, would confine Palestinians to a designated area in southern Gaza, with no permission to leave. Olmert described the initiative as ethnic cleansing and a war crime, drawing parallels to Nazi concentration camps. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office dismissed Olmert’s remarks, accusing him of tarnishing Israel’s image. Opposition leader Yair Lapid and human rights lawyer Michael Sfard also criticized the plan, citing its potential violation of international law. Since the conflict’s onset, over 58,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza, highlighting the region’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
