Here is Israel's Proposed Concentration Camp in Rafah

A controversial proposal by Israel's defense leadership has sparked international alarm and widespread condemnation, as it outlines a plan to relocate more than two million Palestinians to a designated area in Rafah, Gaza. Critics are calling it a blueprint for a modern-day concentration camp.

What the Plan Proposes

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant recently revealed that an initial 600,000 Palestinians from the coastal al-Mawasi region would be transferred to southern Rafah within 60 days of a ceasefire agreement. This would mark the beginning phase of a broader operation that would eventually relocate Gaza’s entire population, over two million people, into the southern city.

While Gallant claims that the Israeli army will not administer the plan, he offered no clarity on which international organizations would manage this massive displacement. The absence of operational details has only fueled scepticism and fear among humanitarian groups and observers worldwide.

A “Humanitarian Transit Area” or a Concentration Camp?

A proposal seen by Reuters contains details of a so-called “Humanitarian Transit Area” (HTA), reportedly affiliated with the US-backed Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The HTA is described as a site where Gaza residents will "temporarily reside, deradicalise, re-integrate and prepare to relocate if they wish to do so."

This language has raised red flags among human rights organizations. Critics argue that terms like “deradicalise” and “prepare to relocate” mirror tactics historically used in forced detention and ethnic cleansing programs. The plan bears disturbing similarities to systems of confinement and control, prompting some to refer to it as a "concentration camp" in all but name.

Rapid Destruction in Rafah

An Al Jazeera investigation uncovered that 12,800 buildings were destroyed between April and July 2025 alone. This surge in demolitions coincides with Israel’s renewed offensive into Rafah launched in late March, further supporting the view that these clearances are part of a strategic operation to reshape Gaza’s landscape in alignment with the new displacement plan.

Global Reaction and Humanitarian Concerns

The proposal has yet to be formally adopted, but its existence signals a deeply troubling shift in Israel's approach to Gaza’s population.

Israeli journalist and author, Gideon Levy, told Al Jazeera, "It is very clear that the intention is more criminal than it seems from the outside because it is not only about concentrating those people – 600,000 – on a very small piece of land. The idea is to finally force those people to leave the enclave."

Levy revealed that the plan has drawn condemnation from some Israeli politicians, but their opposition is unlikely to have any impact on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the plan is approved.