Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (AP image)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that his country would allow Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip as the military prepares for a broader offensive in the territory.Speaking to Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS, Netanyahu stressed that the move would not be a forced expulsion but an option for those who wish to leave. “”Give them the opportunity to leave, first of all, to leave combat zones and generally to leave the territory, if they want,” he said. The Israeli leader also referred to similar refugee outflows during the wars in Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan.Netanyahu said Palestinians would be allowed to move within Gaza to avoid fighting and would also be permitted to leave the territory altogether. Israel has long maintained tight control over Gaza’s borders, severely restricting movement in and out of the territory.The remarks come amid heightened tensions and preparations for Israel to expand its military campaign into the remaining parts of Gaza not yet under its control. The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, has already displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s inhabitants.Calls to resettle Gazans outside the territory have drawn sharp criticism from Palestinians and the international community. Many see such proposals as a replica of the 1948 “Nakba” or catastrophe when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were mass displaced during the creation of Israel.Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump sparked outrage by suggesting the United States should take control of Gaza and and expel its 2.4 million inhabitants to Egypt and Jordan. Netanyahu has also previously said his government was exploring third countries that could accept Gaza’s residents and the territory can be redeveloped as a holiday destination.Leaders from Netanyahu’s coalition have urged that Palestinians in Gaza be allowed to leave “voluntarily.” Last week, Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to extend military operations into the parts of Gaza that are not yet controlled by them.