Reconstruction of Gaza - realistic?

You seem to have an inside scoop that no one else does! Where on earth did you find that news? Or are you just assuming? You know what that does!

By all means we can say who would prefer to leave because of the current conditions than stay, if you prefer that use of language. The main thing is that we recognise they ought to be asked.

It has no impact whatsoever on my point, which is that there are Gazans who fall into the former rather than the latter group, that I don't think they're going to get that opportunity, and that they are equally fucked over by this regardless of whether or not the countries denying them the opportunity are conveniently claiming high minded reasons for doing so or not.

More likely friends and family of Hamas making their way out of Gaza as part of a non publicized deal.

As if Israel is going to charter planes to take each and every Gazan out of Gaza 150 at a time. 🙄

Given the choice between Gaza and South Africa I'd choose SA every time and so would you.

You put words into my mouth that I would never say so unless you can frame things differently, we can't debate.

@Twiglets1 @SharonEllis so what you are saying is that despite Israel deliberately and systematically demolishing Gaza, rendering it unliveable, they should take no responsibility for looking after the civilians, but other countries, who had nothing to do with the destruction, take on the responsibility. That sounds totally reasonable and fair. What would be fair, if this was actually a war about Hamas and the hostages and not about ethnically cleansing Gaza, would be to remove the illegal settlements in the West bank and let the Gazans move there temporarily.

It was very wrong whatever the circumstances which are still unknown and being investigated.

Shows how desperate they were to leave though. Gazans said they paid $2,000 per seat to fly their families to South Africa, according to Reuters.

www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gazans-say-they-paid-2000-per-seat-flight-south-africa-2025-11-17/

More forced displacement. It’s shocking. Those Palestinians on that flight had no exit stamps, paperwork etc. Chances of being able to return to Gaza, zero I reckon.

No nation on earth would invite in the people who have been waging war against them through terrorism for decades. Yes we know there are some Palestinians not involved but you know full well there is no way of vetting for a safe relocation.

@Thedawnchorus all the countries in the world and you think it's reasonable that Israel should be the one to take Gazan Palestinian refugees?

They have been at war until the very recent ceasefire and while support for the Hamas decision to launch the October the 7th is declining, a significant percentage of the population still support it according to recent polls:

For the sixth time since October 7, 2023, we asked respondents from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip what they thought of Hamas' decision to launch the October 7 attack, whether it was correct or incorrect: 53% compared to 50%, in May 2025, and 54% in September 2024, and 67% in June 2024, and 71% in March 2024, said it was the right decision. The increase in this poll came from the Gaza Strip, where it stands today at 44%, an increase of 7 percentage points, and 59% in the West Bank, compared to an identical percentage in May 2025.

https://www.pcpsr.org/en/node/1000

You talk about them 'wanting' to leave. It's not about want is it, it's about being forced to leave as Gaza is now unliveable. It's not voluntary emigration, it's forced emigration because they have no choice. As I've said before, the term 'encourage voluntary emigration' sounds so benign but in reality it is one of the most insidious phrases ever.

No, or I'd have actually written that rather than the completely different thing that I actually did.

You really aren't keen on it being pointed out how fucked over Gazans are by the lack of relocation options for those who want to leave, are you? It's unliveable but nonetheless they have to stay put, because apparently you in your infinite wisdom are qualified to decide that none of them want to leave anyway. Best we don't ask them, just in case!

Billions of aid is given to Israel each year that they spend on weapons. In the last two years they have used it to buy weapons and kill 69,000+ people and destroy 92% of houses in Gaza. The world needs to cut off aid to these terrorists!

If people are so sure that Israel will allow the Gazan Palestinians who emigrate to return after 'reconstruction' answer me a simple question. Why don't they just move into Israel temporarily. Much easier to move a few kilometers than moving thousands of miles away. Also, let me know what is different about these Gazan Palestinians as opposed to the three quarter of a million Palestinians who were expelled during the first Nakba and never allowed to return.

Thats good - now the peace plan can move towards the second phase.

Maybe you would have preferred Gaza to be stuck in phase one indefinitely but those who really care about peace in the region & the elimination of Hamas want to see progress towards that goal.

Hamas are unhappy about it of course.

It’s not an excuse it’s common sense.

The IDF are still in the process of destroying Hamas infrastructure. They discovered and destroyed an underground tunnel a mile long just in the last few days. You are very free with other peoples money if you think countries should pay to start rebuilding Gaza while the IDF still bombing underground tunnels so the devastation to Gaza continues.

Work is being done on clearing the rubble etc in preparation for rebuilding. But while Hamas are still there you won’t get investors willing to fund the rebuilding of the whole of Gaza.

What makes you think you can speak for all Gazans?

Many may well want to leave Gaza if given the opportunity. A small minority have already have done so like that strange plane load that arrived in South Africa and those with sick children. I agree with PP saying the issue is more that no countries are willing to take Palestinian refugees in quantity. Again this will mainly be because of the malign influence & threat from Hamas.

It needs to be voluntary in the sense that their right to return is guaranteed by the US but under those circumstances, better to have an open mind and make no judgement from our safe homes in the West about their choices.

Agree

I have seen so many Israelis arguing that countries who object to the genocide should take in Palestinians but here is the thing - it is their land! You can’t just destroy someone’s home, displace them and if anyone objects say “you take them”. Why should other countries take them and why should they have to leave?

When the country doing the murdering of civilians and levelling of houses are the ones encouraging them to leave for their own safety and because it is uninhabitable that is called ethnic cleansing. It is a deliberate act, it is against international law. No amount of gaslighting will ever hide what this is.

I have no problem with them coming to Ireland (or Norway) but they shouldn’t have to, it is their home, their land! As Thedawnchorus just said you don’t mug someone and say they gave you their purse.

So would you support preventing any Gazan that say has an offer of refuge from say Ireland or Norway from being able to voluntarily leave Gaza?

2025: The American Mandate in Palestine is born.

The UN Security Coumcil has just adopted a resolution (Russia and China abstained without vetoing) approving Trump’s "board of peace" and effectively subjecting Gaza to modern day colonial rule. Trump will be the head.

I'm going to enjoy teasing Americans about their presidents obsession with the 51st state and watching Trump’s approvals drop even lower after his dismal performance last week.

Provisions for materials, funding and security need to start now while remaining Gazans are subjected to the horrors of their existence there. Waiting for Hamas to leave cannot be used as another excuse to perpetuate the ethnic cleansing.

I can see a time when Gaza gets rebuilt, with a mix of aid, investment and input from the Palestinians. Gazan architects have already come up with designs and there's enough people looking for work. However, the materials, funding and security required will not happen until Hamas is gone.

What voluntarily?? Gazans do not want to leave Gaza. Calling it voluntary because israel has made it unliveable is like a mugger saying she voluntarily gave me her purse.

I am totally with you on that but we know what happened in 1948. They are unbelievably resilient and are not stupid. They know if they leave, like they did in the Nakba, they will not be allowed to return but they are human after all. Who can live like that and even if they do start to find some form of existence in what's left of their land, you and I know Israel will just start again to drive them out. As long as our governments support it, I despair for the Palestinians.