Israel’s defence minister has said his country is seeking Donald Trump’s support to approve plans to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, in what has been widely condemned as a potential war crime, according to the Guardian.

Israel Katz said there was “no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration”, framing the resettlement of Palestinians as central to his government’s approach to the territory.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Israeli news site Ynet and the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Katz said the Israeli government was “organised and prepared to get them out by sea, by air, by every way possible”.

Katz indicated he believed US backing could be decisive, saying he thought American support could tip the regional balance in favour of forced resettlement.

The proposal has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics warning that the forced expulsion of a population could amount to a war crime under international law.

The comments place the question of Gaza’s future population at the centre of the debate over the territory, and tie any potential plan directly to the position of the United States and President Trump.