Israel accelerates Rafah demolitions amid U.S.-backed plan to displace entire Gaza population

Department of Research, Studies and International News 14-07-2025

In a troubling development that exposes the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, satellite imagery has revealed a sharp increase in the destruction of buildings in the southern city of Rafah by Israeli forces, an apparent step toward executing a large-scale population transfer plan under the pretext of establishing a so-called “humanitarian city.”

An in-depth investigation by Sanad unit, using data from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), shows that the number of buildings demolished in Rafah rose from approximately 15,800 in April to 28,600 by early July 2025. This steep rise of nearly 13,000 demolitions in just three months coincides with Israel’s intensified ground operations in Rafah, launched in late March 2025.

The destruction is not random. Targeted demolitions in key neighborhoods, such as Al-Zohour, Al-Jnaina, and Tal as-Sultan, demonstrate a calculated effort to clear land in preparation for what Israeli officials have described as a relocation project. Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that an initial 600,000 Palestinians would be moved from Gaza’s coast to Rafah, with plans to eventually transfer the entire population, over 2 million people.

The relocation is being branded as a humanitarian initiative, but observers and rights groups have condemned it as a prelude to mass ethnic cleansing. Katz outlined that the plan would be implemented within 60 days of a ceasefire, and hinted at using international organizations to operate the “humanitarian city,” though no specific agencies were named.

More controversially, a U.S.-sponsored group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), is reportedly overseeing the project. Their blueprint includes a “Humanitarian Transit Area” where Palestinians would be subjected to “deradicalization” and eventual resettlement elsewhere, a euphemism critics say disguises forced expulsion.

The GHF, which operates under U.S. military protection, has effectively monopolized aid distribution in Gaza. Critics argue that this weaponization of humanitarian aid serves as a tool of demographic engineering aimed at displacing Palestinians from their homeland.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which has been banned by Israeli authorities, warned that the plan would result in “massive concentration camps at Egypt’s border,” stripping Palestinians of any hope for a dignified future in their land. Israeli political analyst Ori Goldberg echoed this sentiment, describing the relocation as a “blatant crime against humanity,” pointing to the inescapable and controlled nature of the city as evidence of its carceral intent.

Although Israeli forces have decimated much of Rafah, some facilities, including 40 schools and one university, have been inexplicably spared, as have eight medical centers. Analysts believe these buildings are being preserved for their utility in housing displaced civilians during the next stage of the transfer plan, turning them into makeshift shelters under the guise of humanitarian aid.

This is not a novel pattern. Previous UNRWA reports noted that by January 2024, nearly 1.4 million displaced people were crammed into UN shelters originally built for far fewer. Today, that number has swelled to 1.9 million, reflecting the scale of Israel’s military campaign and its consequences for civilians.

Israel’s two-phase operation in Rafah, beginning in May 2024, has focused on clearing out the eastern and western parts of the city. The second phase, underway since April 2025, includes leveling the land and constructing access roads to support aid distribution, a strategic move to further consolidate control and prepare for mass transfer.

This plan is unfolding under the political cover of negotiations. A proposed ceasefire deal brokered with Hamas includes the release of captives, a 60-day truce, and increased aid. While the Palestinian resistance gave a “positive” response, it also raised objections regarding the temporary nature of the ceasefire and the absence of concrete steps toward Israeli military withdrawal. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, backed by Washington, dismissed these demands outright.

Meanwhile, analysts warn that a more sinister objective is being pursued behind these diplomatic theatrics. Israeli journalist Gideon Levy and British-Israeli analyst Daniel Levy have both concluded that the ultimate aim is to carry out a full-scale ethnic cleansing of Gaza, erasing the Palestinian presence from the land through calculated, systematic displacement.

The strategic importance of the Morag Corridor, just north of Rafah, further highlights this intention. Israeli control over this corridor would isolate Rafah entirely, turning it into a holding zone for an unwanted population, sealed off, heavily monitored, and indefinitely contained.

Despite international outrage, the U.S. continues to provide political and logistical support, shielding Israel from meaningful accountability. As long as Washington remains complicit and the global community stays silent, the path toward forced displacement and permanent exile for Gaza’s people remains dangerously plausible.