Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has again criticised government plans to build a “humanitarian city” in Gaza, calling it a “crazy idea even by the standards of this government”, Al Jazeera reports.

“Will its residents be allowed to leave it? If not, how will they prevent them from leaving? Will there be a fence around it? Will it be an ordinary fence or an electric one? How many soldiers will guard the fence? What will the soldiers do if children try to leave the city?” Lapid told a press conference.

“Who will provide the residents with food, water, and electricity? What will happen if epidemics and diseases break out there? Who will treat them? And the most important question for the citizens of Israel: how much will it cost us?”

Lapid said the plan would cost at least 15 billion shekels ($4.5 billion), with some estimates reaching 20 billion shekels ($6bn) or more.

“This city in Gaza will not be established … it is a very crazy idea,” he said, accusing the government of wasting public funds on a “delusion”.