Indonesia Can Be Considered As Helping Israel If It Accommodates 2,000 Gazans On Galang Island

Palestinians took humanitarian aid in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, on August 5, 2025. (ANTARA/Xinhua/Rizek Abdeljawad)

JAKARTA The government's plan to make Galang Island a treatment location for Gazans, Palestinians, is in the spotlight. Indonesia is asked to rethink the plan.

This plan was first revealed by the Head of the Presidential Communication Office Hasan Nasbi on August 7. The government's plan to bring 2,000 Gazans to Galang Island Hasan Nasbi was called a humanitarian operation.

Those who were taken to the island that was once the location for handling COVID-19 were injured victims, orphans, to those who were severely traumatized.

"Regarding Gaza, yesterday's President also gave directions for Indonesia to provide medical assistance to around 2,000 Gazans who were victims of war. Those who were injured, who experienced what, may have been hit by bombs, hit by ruins and all kinds of things," Hasan Nasbi said, citing ANTARA.

But observers say that if Indonesia brings Gazans to Galang Island, then it is in accordance with Israel's desire that Gaza be vacated by the Palestinian people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intends to take control of the military over the entire Gaza Strip, although international criticism continues to escalate following a prolonged war.

"In order to ensure our safety, we intend to get rid of Hamas from there, free Gaza's population, and hand it over to civilian governments that are not Hamas and not anyone who advocates Israeli destruction," he said, while speaking to Fox News.

"We want to free ourselves and free the Gaza people from the terrible terror of Hamas," he continued.

Citing AlJazeera, one of the scenarios currently being considered is a gradual takeover involving warnings of evacuation to Palestinians before further military operations resume.

In the midst of the intense issue of Israel taking over Gaza, domestically, news related to the government's plan to bring 2,000 Gazans to Galang Island is in the spotlight, although with the aim of becoming a humanitarian operation.

Galang Island is one of the islands under the government area of Batam City, Riau Islands Province. The government chose Galang Island as a treatment location for Gazans because it was considered to have adequate health infrastructure on a large scale.

On the island, there are hospital facilities that were previously used for the location of handling COVID-19.

Previously, Galang Island was used as a refugee camp for the refugees of Vietnam and Cambodia in 1979. In 1949, the island was also a transit point for former Japanese soldiers who had been stripped of waiting for their return to Japan.

Regarding plans to accommodate 2,000 victims of the Gaza war on Galang Island, Hasan Nasbi confirmed that he would send them back to their country of origin after recovering.

In fact, this is not the first time Indonesia has been said to be accommodating Gazans. Last April, President Prabowo Subianto also planned to evacuate 1,000 Gazans. Indonesia is considered to have a strategic position as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. Not only that, as a non-block country, Indonesia's role is acceptable to all parties.

Just like last April, the government's plan to accommodate Gazans on Galang Island also invited a big question mark, one of which was by the International Relations Observer of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Muhadi Sugiono.

If you consider humanitarian factors, according to Muhadi, Indonesia's geographical position is too far from Palestine. It makes more sense that the Indonesian government encourages evacuation and treatment of countries around Palestine.

In addition, Indonesia has not yet ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol, although on several occasions it still provides limited protection to the refugees who come.

"Everything happens in a political context that encourages us to be suspicious. What is behind this decision?" said Muhadi.

The same thing was also expressed by Middle Eastern Observer Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Muhammad Wafhaa Kharisma. He said the Indonesian government should increase pressure on Israel and its allies if it adheres to humanity.

Bringing Gazans to Galang Island, explained by Waffa, can actually be considered as Indonesia's support for a single state policy.

"Currently, the rhetoric of the Israeli government and parliament is the restoration of Gaza from the Palestinian people. That is, we implicitly support the state policy, supporting the reality that treatment cannot be there (Palestinian)," Waffaa said.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Indonesia also reminded the Indonesian government's plan to relocate thousands of Gazans to Galang Island on the grounds that humanity is considered very risky,

"This plan must be handled critically," said Deputy Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Wirya Adiwena.

This policy, continued Wirya, is in line with the major scenario of Israel and the United States under the Donald Trump administration to facilitate the emptying of the Gaza Strip by moving two million residents.

"Essentially, stop the genocide and Israeli apartheid, permanent ceasefire, and open humanitarian channels to end acute hunger there. Not relocate them from their homes," he stressed.