Germany Denies Israeli Claim it Received Hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza

Berlin (Quds News Network)- Germany rejected an Israeli claim that hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza had left the enclave for Leipzig on Tuesday as part of a “voluntary departure” initiative under Donald Trump’s forced displacement plan.

On Tuesday, Israel’s Interior Minister Moshe Arbel arrived at Ramon airport in southern Israel with representatives of the border control directorate and its population and immigration authority.

The Ministry said that hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza flew to Leipzig on a “special flight”, accompanied by German diplomats.

“I arrived here today at Ramon airport in Eilat to monitor and verify the issue of voluntary departure of Gaza residents,” Arbel said. “Another flight departed today and more than 10 flights in recent times, today to Germany.”

He claimed that “voluntary departures” would “ensure the ability to rehabilitate” Gaza, and thanked employees at Israel’s population and immigration authority for its work on the matter.

“I thank President Trump for announcing this important initiative, together we can turn this area into a paradise,” Arbel said.

However, Germany’s Foreign Ministry has denied the claim.

“This is wrong. 19 German citizens and close family members were repatriated from Gaza to Germany today,” it explained on X. “We thank the Israeli authorities for close cooperation on this matter.”

A ministry spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday that 19 German nationals and 14 Palestinian family members left Gaza via the Karm Abu Salem border crossing, and were flown out of southern Israel.

“We would have been glad if we had been able to conduct this earlier. It has taken a certain while,” the spokesperson said.

Israel’s Interior Ministry claimed that hundreds more people from Gaza had flown to third countries “since the beginning of the process”, mainly to Germany, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.

The referenced flights to Romania and the UAE, however, appear to be medical evacuations.

Lately, Israel’s security cabinet approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a government agency to oversee the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to third countries. According to Israeli reports, the Israeli Defence Ministry said the agency would be tasked with overseeing the movement of Gaza’s population “for their voluntary departure to third countries, including securing their movement, establishing movement routes, checking pedestrians at designated crossings in the Gaza Strip, as well as coordinating the provision of infrastructure that will enable passage by land, sea and air to the destination countries”.

Last week, Axios reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tasked Mossad with finding countries to receive Palestinians removed from Gaza. The report stated that discussions had taken place with Somalia, South Sudan and Indonesia, according to officials.

Trump had previously proposed permanently and forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza and transforming the area into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.” His plan envisioned a developed, Palestinian-free zone under US control and ownership, where “the world’s people” could reside.

He also suggested that Jordan and Egypt take in displaced Palestinians, a proposal that both countries firmly rejected. Palestinians in Gaza have rejected this proposal, describing it as ethnic cleansing, while Arab nations have backed Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents.