Highlighting the historical context, Wirya recalled that half of the Palestinian population was displaced during the 1948 Nakba. Today’s residents of Gaza are survivors or descendants of those uprooted in 1948.

“We must ensure that Indonesia’s desire to help Gaza does not end up enabling a new Nakba in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks,” he warned.

Amnesty further cautioned that the volatile situation in Gaza means that relocated residents might not be able to return, creating a protracted refugee crisis.

Wirya asked whether Indonesia was prepared to guarantee the long-term fulfillment of their basic rights, especially given that the country still has at least 12,000 refugees and asylum seekers whose fundamental needs remain unmet.

The relocation plan emerged from a cabinet meeting on August 6, 2025, where President Prabowo Subianto directed government agencies to provide medical assistance to around 2,000 Gazans injured in the conflict.

Presidential Communications Office Head Hasan Nasbi confirmed that Galang Island in the Riau Islands Province would be prepared as a treatment center for the group.

The Riau Islands Provincial Government, through Vice Governor Nyanyang Haris Pratamura, has expressed full support for the central government’s plan to temporarily host Gazans on Galang Island while they undergo medical treatment.(Uki Ruknuddin)

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