Israel is in talks with several countries about taking in displaced Palestinians

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says talks are underway with several countries about taking in Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza.

The countries involved are South Sudan, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Libya, and Indonesia, a senior Israeli official told CNN. In exchange for taking in some of Gaza’s population of more than two million people, the official said the countries are looking for “significant financial and international compensation.”

On Wednesday, South Sudan rejected an Associated Press report that it was in discussions about the resettlement of Palestinians, saying in a statement the reports were “baseless and do not reflect the official position” of the country. Earlier this year, Somaliland also said there were no such talks.

And last week, Indonesia said it was ready to take in 2,000 Palestinians from Gaza for treatment but that they would return to Gaza once they recovered.

It’s unclear how advanced any of these discussions are and whether they are likely to come to fruition.

Netanyahu has never given a detailed vision of what will happen to Gaza after the war but has repeatedly advocated for resettling displaced Palestinians in other countries, particularly after President Donald Trump floated the idea early this year. But even as Trump appears to be cooling on the proposal, Israeli officials have embraced it.

In an interview published on Tuesday, Netanyahu said, “we are talking to several countries” without naming them.

Netanyahu claimed in the interview with Israeli network i24 that the plan was “not pushing out” Palestinians but would instead be “allowing them to leave.”

“All those who say they’re concerned for the Palestinians and want to help Palestinians,” Netanyahu said should “open their doors.”

“Why are they coming and preaching to us?! Open your doors,” he added.

The comments come as international alarm grows over Israel’s stated plan to take over Gaza City, home to more than one million Palestinians, including many already displaced by the war.

The densely populated city has continued to be hit by Israeli strikes with at least 123 people killed over the last 24 hours across Gaza, according to a tally on Wednesday from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.