Netanyahu reportedly orders Mossad to seek African countries for potential resettlement of Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assigned Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence agency to explore potential countries willing to take in large numbers of Palestinians displaced from the Gaza Strip, according to a report from U.S. media outlet Axios.

The report, citing two Israeli officials and a former U.S. official, says that secret discussions have already occurred with countries in Africa, including Somalia and South Sudan, as well as Indonesia in East Asia. Netanyahu reportedly tasked Mossad with this mission several weeks ago as part of Israel’s broader strategy concerning Gaza.

The report states that Israel is working to facilitate the removal of Palestinians from Gaza while continuing its military campaign in the enclave and issuing further evacuation orders.

Arab states slam relocation plan

Many Arab states and global powers have condemned the idea of forcibly relocating Gaza’s population. Both Somalia and Sudan, members of the Arab League, have rejected involvement in any such plans.

A Somalian official told the Financial Times, “Gaza belongs to Palestinians, and it will remain for Palestinians. Somalia’s position on this is well recorded.”

Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro also dismissed reports of discussions with the U.S. about accepting Gazan refugees, calling instead for a regionally supported solution.

The idea of relocating Gaza’s two million residents was initially introduced by former U.S. President Donald Trump last month as part of his broader vision for Gaza following 17 months of conflict between Hamas and Israel.

Netanyahu has publicly supported the concept, describing it as “bold” and “revolutionary.” In line with this approach, Israel’s defense ministry has established a directorate to encourage the voluntary emigration of Gazans. However, no concrete agreements have been made with any country to accept large numbers of displaced Palestinians.

Trump’s position on whether Palestinians should be allowed to return to Gaza has shifted several times. He previously shared an AI-generated video on social media that portrayed Gaza as a future luxury tourist destination.

In March, however, Trump softened his stance, stating, “Nobody’s expelling any Palestinians.” The U.S. State Department declined to comment directly on the reported relocation discussions but highlighted past remarks by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who suggested that conversations were ongoing about improving the situation in Gaza.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies

Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. On March 18, Israel launched a new aerial offensive on the territory, killing 855 people and injuring nearly 1,900. The strikes marked the collapse of a cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas that had been in effect since January.

According to U.N. estimates, around 124,000 Palestinians have been displaced again as a result of these actions.

Since October 2023, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, with over 113,900 people injured.