Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered his army to prepare a plan for the “voluntary departure” of residents from Gaza, following Trump’s proposal to unlawfully take over the Gaza Strip and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian enclave. Katz also falsely claimed countries which spoke out against Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, including Spain, Ireland and Norway, are “legally obligated to allow any Gaza resident to enter their territories.”
Palestinians in Gaza have forcefully rejected any efforts to force them into exile. This is displaced Gaza resident Hassan Ashour, speaking from Rafah.

Hassan Ashour: “We want to tell the Israeli defense minister that we are steadfast in Gaza. Despite the siege and despite everything, we are steadfast. God willing, we will not leave our country.”

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres responded Wednesday to President Trump’s remarks at a session of the U.N. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Secretary-General António Guterres: “In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.”

Also on Wednesday, Israel announced it would no longer participate in the U.N. Human Rights Council, one day after Trump announced the U.S. would withdraw from the U.N. body.