In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Danny Danon, a senior Likud member of Israel’s Knesset and former ambassador to the U.N., and Ram Ben-Barak, a Yesh Atid member of the Knesset and former deputy director of the Mossad, propose a voluntary relocation program for Gazan families amid the ongoing conflict in the region.

The authors begin by setting the context of the crisis, citing Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, which has put the lives of over two million Gaza Strip residents at risk. They highlight an incident reported on October 15, where “Hamas operatives stole food and medical supplies from humanitarian trucks,” a claim substantiated by U.N. sources to Israel’s Walla News, and confirmed by Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians that the supplies ended up with Hamas.

Danon and Ben-Barak criticize the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution for a humanitarian truce, arguing that it has failed to deliver tangible help to Gaza’s residents. They stress the need for the international community to find practical solutions for the civilians affected by the crisis.

The key proposal of the op-ed is for global acceptance of Gazan families seeking relocation. Drawing parallels with Europe’s history of aiding refugees from the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, and Syria, the authors suggest that countries create “well-structured and internationally coordinated relocation programs” and provide “one-time financial-support packages” to assist Gazans with moving and integrating into new communities.

They argue that the international community has both a “moral imperative” and an “opportunity” to demonstrate compassion and help Gazans move toward a better future, contributing to greater peace and stability in the Middle East. The call to action is for nations to share the responsibility of hosting Gazan residents, suggesting that even if countries accepted as few as 10,000 people each, it would significantly alleviate the crisis.

The article reflects an approach aimed at addressing the humanitarian aspects of the conflict by providing alternatives for those living in Gaza who wish to relocate voluntarily, emphasizing the global precedent for such measures and the potential positive impact on the Middle East’s stability.