CAIRO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League condemned on Tuesday recent Israeli plans to confine Palestinians to a "humanitarian city" in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Arab League affirmed that this plan "bears no relation to civility or humanitarian principles," emphasizing that the proposal reflects an "ethical decline of the occupation."
It added that the plan exposed an Israeli intent to continue "ethnic cleansing," reoccupy the Gaza Strip, and potentially pave the way for settlements.
The pan-Arab organization appealed to the international community to forcefully confront such "inhumane schemes," stressing the immediate need for a ceasefire agreement.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier this month that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces and his ministry to bring forward a plan to establish a new "humanitarian city" on the ruins of Rafah, Israeli media reported.
According to Katz, an initial 600,000 Palestinians living in the coastal al-Mawasi area would be transferred to Rafah within 60 days of any agreed ceasefire deal. The entire civilian population of Gaza -- more than 2 million people -- will eventually be relocated to this southern city. ■
