Israel has implored Ireland and Spain to take Palestinians displaced by the brutal war in the Gaza Strip, after making 'false claims' about the IDF's actions in the enclave.
Israel's defence minister Israel Katz reportedly ordered the IDF to prepare for the 'voluntary departure' of residents from Gaza, after US president Donald Trump drew widespread condemnation over plans to take over the strip.
When asked who ought to take in the Palestinian people, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said it should be countries who have opposed Israel's military operations in Gaza, including Spain, Ireland and Norway.
'Countries like Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have levelled accusations and false claims against Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow any Gaza resident to enter their territories,' he said.
'Their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse to do so. There are countries like Canada, which has a structured immigration program, that have previously expressed a willingness to accept Gaza residents.'
Both Spain and Ireland have long supported international legal action against Israel for the devastation wrought on the Gaza Strip, where so far nearly 50,000 people have been killed by the IDF.
Spain's foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares told broadcaster RTVE earlier this week that the country was doing 'everything possible' to ensure crimes committed in Gaza 'do not go unpunished', while prime minister Pedro Sanchez said Israel's actions in the Strip was tantamount to 'mass murder.'
Hamas, which ruled the Gaza Strip before the war, said Trump's proposal was 'ridiculous and absurd'.
Since January 25, Trump has repeatedly suggested that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan, an idea rejected by both the Arab states and Palestinian leaders. He has given no specifics of his proposal to take over Gaza.
