Pilot project begins for emigration of Gazans to Indonesia
100 Gazans flew to Indonesia on Tuesday to work in the construction sector, facilitated by the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories
About 100 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip left to work in Indonesia on Tuesday, mostly in construction.
The pilot program, orchestrated by Major General Ghassan Alian, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, aims to pave the way for larger-scale voluntary migration.
The project required delicate negotiations with Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, with which Israel does not maintain official diplomatic relations. The long-term goal is to encourage thousands of Gazans to voluntarily migrate, subject to the success of this first phase.
Last week, the Defense Ministry authorized the creation of an administration intended to facilitate these departures.
Recent figures reveal a significant positive trend, as some 1,000 residents have left Gaza since the beginning of the month. Another 600 departures are planned this week. Since the beginning of the conflict, about 35,000 Gazans have permanently left the region. Candidates for migration undergo strict security checks by the Shin Bet security agency at the Kerem Shalom border crossing.