Israeli propaganda tries to present the war on Gaza as a “defensive reaction.” Yet the historical record tells a very different story: systematic genocide, the destruction of civilian life and deliberate attempts to uproot entire populations. All of this is a direct continuation of Zionist colonial policies that began in the late 19th century.

These policies have always aimed to create a racially pure Jewish state at the expense of the Palestinians, through forced displacement, economic blockade and deliberate wars. This article traces the historical roots of these policies and shows that Gaza is not an exception, but a primary target of this ongoing colonial strategy.

Historical roots of the conflict: Zionism and the idea of forced transfer

From the beginning of the Zionist movement, Palestinians were seen as a “demographic obstacle” to the establishment of a Jewish state. In 1895, Theodor Herzl, founder of political Zionism, wrote in his diary:

“The removal of the Arabs from Palestine must form part of the Zionist plan. The poor population can be transferred across the border by denying them employment. This must be done quietly and carefully.”

Likewise, in 1938, David Ben Gurion, who became Israel’s first prime minister, described “compulsory transfer” as a moral and necessary step to preserve the Zionist project. These were not abstract ideas but the foundation of what later became known as “Plan Dalet” in 1948, which historian Benny Morris described as a “necessary ethnic cleansing” to secure a Jewish majority in the emerging state.

The 1948 Nakba: Mass expulsion and the transformation of Gaza into camps

In 1948, Israel expelled around 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and seized 78% of historic Palestine. Gaza’s population rose from 80,000 to between 200,000 and 250,000 refugees, most of them from Jaffa and Beersheba, who were placed in eight camps managed by UNRWA.

This mass expulsion was not accidental, but part of a calculated plan to ensure Jewish demographic dominance. Morris wrote about the “Palestinian refugee problem”, noting that the displacement was supported by clear strategies to seize land and redistribute populations.

Expulsion efforts after 1948: Sinai as a temporary destination

In the 1950s, Israel continued its policies by driving 30,000 to 40,000 Palestinians and Bedouins from the Negev into Sinai or Egyptian-administered Gaza. One example was the expulsion of the Sa’ani tribe in 1952, about 1000 people, and another from Auja al-Hafir involving more than 4000 Bedouin in 1950.

In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, Israel occupied Gaza and Sinai in an attempt to keep control of the area permanently, but international pressure forced its withdrawal. These events showed that the real goal was not simple military control but a reordering of the population by force.

The 1967 war: ‘Voluntary migration’ as a cover for pressure

After Israel occupied Gaza in the June 1967 war, it promoted “voluntary migration” by creating harsh living conditions, reducing job opportunities, demolishing homes and encouraging residents to move to the West Bank or abroad.

Defence minister Moshe Dayan said in 1972:

“Giving Arabs the option of working abroad will later encourage them to emigrate.”

These attempts failed because Palestinians refused to leave and Jordan refused to accept them, proving the strength of Palestinian resistance to colonial displacement.

The 1970s and 1980s: Ariel Sharon and the ‘closed islands’

Ariel Sharon, as a military commander, proposed dismantling Gaza’s refugee camps and turning them into “villages” or “closed islands” to house about 38,000 refugees. The aim was to control the population and enforce gradual relocation.

During the 1980s, Israel increased economic pressure on Gaza by cutting work permits, restricting trade, demolishing homes and building settlements to isolate residents. But Egypt’s refusal to accept refugees, together with Palestinian resistance, prevented full-scale expulsion.

From the 1990s to 2010: Continuing pressure under the mask of development

Israel continued its policies through demolitions, settlement building and tight control over movement. More than 14,000 demolition orders were issued in the West Bank. The same population reduction plans from the 1960s reappeared, this time under “economic development” programs that concealed the reality of control and siege.

Gaza became one of the most densely populated and tightly restricted areas in the world, under an occupation that shaped every aspect of life.

The 2020 deal of the century: Redrawing the map

The Trump administration’s so-called peace plan proposed separating Gaza from the West Bank and relocating its people to northern Sinai under the cover of “investment projects” and “infrastructure development”, while maintaining full Israeli control.

This plan was a direct continuation of older displacement schemes, repackaged as an “economic and humanitarian” initiative to change the population balance without open confrontation.

The October 2023 war: A pretext for complete expulsion

After October, 2023, Israel used the situation to justify its war on Gaza as “defensive”. In reality, it pursued a broader strategy aimed at total control and mass displacement.

Israeli intelligence documents, dated 13 October 2023, revealed a plan to transfer more than 2.2 million Palestinians to northern Sinai through combined military and psychological pressure. The campaign began with heavy bombardment of northern Gaza to drive civilians south, following earlier models of forced population concentration.

The bombing targeted essential infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, power stations and water networks, creating huge humanitarian crises that forced people to move. At the same time, psychological campaigns spread messages suggesting that “the suffering of residents is the result of their refusal to leave” and that relocation would bring them “safety and a better life”.

The documents also mentioned preparations for tent cities in southern Gaza, designed to redistribute the population while keeping Israeli control over the north and centre.

Israel also pressured Egypt to open its borders or accept some displaced people, presenting the move as “humanitarian”. In truth, it was another stage of the long-standing policy of forced transfer, previously disguised as “voluntary migration”, “economic relocation”, or “camp dismantling”.

Gaza remains a symbol of resistance and endurance

What is happening in Gaza today is not a sudden reaction to conflict but the latest phase of a long colonial plan rooted in the late 19th century. From Herzl’s call to “remove the Arabs”, to Ben Gurion’s push for “compulsory transfer”, to Sharon’s “closed islands”, and today’s blockade, destruction and displacement, every stage reveals a consistent strategy of demographic control.

The October 2023 war is the newest expression of that policy, using war as a pretext for large-scale expulsion disguised as humanitarian aid. Gaza is not just a battlefield. It is the living proof of a people resisting a century-long attempt to erase them, showing that Zionist colonialism is not a coincidence, but a systematic project refined over more than a hundred years.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.