US ambassador to Israel denies plans to force Palestinians from Gaza

US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew said on Monday there are no plans to force Palestinians to leave Gaza, following proposals from two Israeli ministers last week suggesting the mass relocation of Palestinians from the coastal enclave.

Lew told Reuters, "I can state categorically that there is no plan by the Israelis to forcibly remove the population from Gaza." He added, "There is an openness to the idea that if residents wish to leave, they should have the right to do so. But confining people to a place they do not wish to be, in my view, is truly shameful."

The US ambassador to Israel also said, "No one is proposing forced displacement... The Israelis are not proposing it. The Americans certainly are not proposing it. And I do not know anyone who supports it."

In a related development, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday, "Ultimately, there is no real solution for Gaza without this migration."