Germany denies Israeli claim it received hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza
Germany has denied an Israeli claim that hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza left the enclave for Leipzig on Tuesday in a "voluntary departure" initiative as part of Donald Trump's ethnic cleansing plan.
On Tuesday, Moshe Arbel, Israel's interior minister, arrived at Ramon airport in southern Israel with representatives of the border control directorate and its population and immigration authority.
"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 said 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.
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The ministry said that hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza flew to Leipzig on a "special flight" on Tuesday, accompanied by German diplomats.
But 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 said 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 Kerem Shalom 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 said 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.
Last week, the UAE received 81 Palestinians wounded in Gaza and 107 of their family members as part of a medical evacuation in cooperation with the World Health Organisation.
Emirati authorities said that it was the 24th such medical evacuation flight since the start of the war in October 2023.
As for Romania, it received seven wounded or sick Palestinians and 23 of their companions on 19 March, in its fifth medical evacuation flight.
Norway, France and Italy also received patients from Gaza on the same day.
The Israeli foreign ministry said it was not involved in matters regarding Palestinians being flown to third countries. A spokesperson said any Palestinian that wants to emigrate should be allowed.
Middle East Eye has also asked the Israeli interior ministry for comment, as well as the Emirati and Romanian foreign ministries.
Earlier this year, Trump announced a proposal to "take over" Gaza and "own it", and expel Palestinians as part of a plan to turn the enclave into the "rivieria of the Middle East".
He first proposed ejecting Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt, a proposal both countries flatly rejected.
In response to the proposal, Arab states - led by Egypt - published a 91-page alternative to Washington's ethnic cleansing plan. It set out a $53bn budget and a five-year timescale for the reconstruction of the territory.
Last week, Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that a new government agency had been set up to oversee "voluntary departures" in compliance with Trump's proposal. Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned the setting up of the body.
No country has publicly said it would host Palestinians expelled in this manner.
Last week, Axios reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tasked Mossad with finding countries to receive Palestinians removed from Gaza.
The reported stated that discussions had taken place with Somalia, South Sudan and Indonesia, according to officials.
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