New york: Israel's plan to concentrate Gaza's entire population into a sealed, military-controlled 'humanitarian city' is 'inhumane,' the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said, warning it would constitute forced displacement on a massive scale.

The scheme was unveiled by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday. It envisions establishing a walled-off camp in southern Gaza on the ruins of Rafah. Katz has said the site would initially hold 600,000 Palestinians displaced by the war and would eventually house the entire population of the enclave - more than 2 million people.

According to Katz, residents would be screened to prevent Hamas operatives from entering and would not be permitted to leave. At some point, the inhabitants would be allowed to 'voluntarily emigrate' to other countries. He has described the plan as a way to give the Israeli military more 'freedom' to fight Hamas in other parts of Gaza.

Katz has claimed that while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would initially control the zone, it could eventually be operated by international organizations, though he has not specified which bodies would participate.

A source cited by Haaretz has claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has supported the plan. Commenting on the idea of providing comforts to the confined Gazans, Netanyahu allegedly said, 'Give them Ben and Jerry's, for all I care.'

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UNRWA communications director Tamara Alrifai said: 'There is nothing humanitarian about confining hundreds of thousands of people behind fences and checkpoints under military surveillance.'

'Labeling it a 'humanitarian city' is an insult to the very notion of humanity,' she added.