The first pilot program aimed at promoting voluntary migration from the Gaza Strip launched on Tuesday, News12 reported. As part of the initiative, 100 Gazans have left the Strip to take up work in Indonesia, reportedly in the construction sector.
From the beginning of March until last Sunday, 1,000 residents left the Gaza Strip, with another 600 expected to depart this week. Since the onset of the war, a total of 35,000 Gazans have permanently left the region.
יששש!
אושרה הצעת שר הביטחון להקמת מנהלת מעבר מרצון לתושבי עזההצעת שר הביטחון ישראל כ”ץ להקמת מנהלת מעבר מרצון של תושבי עזה למדינה שלישית אושרה • בקרוב יקבע זהות ראש המנהלת • “נאפשר לכל תושב עזה שמעוניין, לעזוב מרצונו” pic.twitter.com/297fp9ffde
— miri barbi 64,000????????? (@MiriBarbi) March 23, 2025
The project is overseen by Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, and the Coordination of Activities in the Territories Directorate. If successful, the program aims to encourage thousands of Gazans to voluntarily migrate to Indonesia for employment in the construction industry.
The Republic of Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia and Oceania, positioned between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is made up of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. With a population exceeding 280 million, Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.
Israel and Indonesia do not have formal diplomatic relations, though they maintain discreet trade, tourism, and security interactions. Tensions between the two nations have escalated since the 2023 Gaza war, particularly after Israel’s attack on an Indonesian hospital in Gaza. However, as Indonesia seeks to join the OECD, it has pledged to establish diplomatic ties with Israel for the first time. OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann confirmed that Indonesia must establish diplomatic relations with all OECD member states before any decision on its accession to the organization is made.
The pilot program was preceded by discussions with the Indonesian government. Due to the lack of formal diplomatic relations between Israel and Indonesia, a communication channel had to be established between the two countries. If the initiative proves successful, the Immigration Directorate, established by Defense Minister Israel Katz, would be responsible for overseeing the expansion of the pilot.
The Immigration Directorate is expected to oversee efforts to facilitate the voluntary evacuation of Gaza residents abroad and assist in finding employment to encourage migration from the Strip. As the pilot project begins, the Minister of Defense will need to decide in the coming days who will lead the directorate. According to News12, Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter, whose name was recently suggested for the position, has become reluctant to accept the appointment.
