Senior “Israeli” Official: Gaza Op. Aims to Relocate Residents, It Will Begin After Trump’s Visit to Region

By Al-Ahed News, Hebrew Media

A senior “Israeli” security official stated on Monday, May 5, 2025, that the expansion of military operations in the Gaza Strip—approved by the “Cabinet”—will not begin until US President Donald Trump concludes his visit to the Middle East. He added that the operation will only proceed if no agreement is reached by that time regarding the release of the captives.

The Zionist newspaper Haaretz quoted the senior official as saying that what he called “humanitarian aid” will only return to the Gaza Strip after the launch of the military operation dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots.” He added that a key objective of the operation would be the displacement of Gaza’s residents. He noted that the “Israeli” army plans to establish a “protected zone” in the Rafah area, where residents will be deported after undergoing security checks.

He stated, “Deploying forces prior to the maneuver will buy time—until the end of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region—to finalize a ‘hostage’ deal based on the ‘Witkoff model’ by May 13, 2025.” He further asserted, “Under any arrangement—whether temporary or permanent—‘Israel’ will not withdraw from the security buffer zone around Gaza, which is designed to protect settlements and prevent arms smuggling to Hamas.”

He stressed that no aid would enter Gaza until the military operation begins, and that it would be distributed exclusively through civilian companies operating in a militarily secured area.

He added, “A protected area will be established in the Rafah region behind the Moraj axis, where residents of the Gaza Strip will be transferred after being searched.” He clarified that “one of the key components of the plan is the mass evacuation of Gaza’s population from all combat zones, including the northern part of the Strip, to southern areas”.

He indicated that the goal is to “allow the ‘Israeli’ military full operational freedom.” He continued, “According to the operational plan, the ‘Israeli’ army will remain in any area it occupies in order to prevent the return of ‘terrorism’, and will treat any ‘cleansed’ zone following the Rafah model, where all threats were eliminated and the area became part of the so-called security zone.”