August 14, 2025 | 04:15 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi has addressed concerns about whether residents of Gaza, if evacuated to Indonesia, could return to their homeland, Palestine.
"They have not come here yet, but there are already concerns about being unable to return; how would that be?" Prasetyo said at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
When asked how the return of Gaza residents would be guaranteed, Prasetyo said that the selection of Galang Island as a treatment location is not final. The island was chosen as an alternative because it already has existing healthcare facilities.
Prasetyo stated that the government needs to reassess the island, which was previously used as a treatment center for COVID-19 patients. "But we also have to consider that the condition of Pulau Galang today is not the same as it was 2–3 years ago," he said. "We don't want our enthusiasm to lead to other problems. We need to be very cautious."
The government's plan to evacuate Gaza residents to Indonesia has recently resurfaced. Presidential Communication Director Hasan Nasbi stated that the government would prepare Galang Island in the Riau Islands Province for the temporary evacuation of 2,000 Gaza residents from Palestine.
Hasan emphasized that this is not a relocation but an effort to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. He mentioned that Galang Island was chosen because it is separated from other settlements.
"Since it was previously used as a shelter and a COVID-19 handling center, it would be very manageable in terms of the security and comfort of the residents," Hasan said during a press conference at his office in Central Jakarta on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
However, Deputy Chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Anwar Abbas, criticized the plan. He stated that the idea of moving Gaza residents out of the area is a long-standing desire of the United States and Israel.
According to him, even though the Indonesian government said that the residents can return to Palestine, the issue is not that simple.
"The question is, will Israel and the United States be willing to accept the return of the Gaza residents?" Anwar said in a written statement received by Tempo on Monday, August 11, 2025.
He argued that Indonesia's method of evacuating Gaza residents could create other problems, such as no guarantee that residents would want to return to Palestine due to the ongoing conflict.
Anwar believes the Indonesian government would be better off providing treatment directly in Gaza or in border areas close to Palestine. "I think they would also agree because they would still be receiving treatment alongside their relatives, family, and homeland," he said.
President Prabowo Subianto first announced the plan to evacuate a thousand Gaza residents to Indonesia on April 9, 2025. This was after Israeli media reported that some countries were ready to accommodate them.
On April 5, 2025, the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli government had contacted several countries to house Gaza residents. A senior Israeli official stated that Israel had discussed the permanent relocation of Gaza residents with U.S. President Donald Trump and that several countries were interested in accommodating them.
When asked to confirm the Israeli media report, Foreign Minister Sugiono stated that the discussion was not related to Indonesia. "That's between Israel and the United States," Sugiono said on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
Adinda Jasmine and Andi Adam Faturahman contributed to the report.
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