Israel Secretly Reaching Out to Somalia, South Sudan, and Others to Accept Gazans, Says Report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed Mossad, the country’s foreign intelligence agency, to find nations willing to accept large numbers of displaced Palestinians from Gaza. 

This information is based on an Axios report which cites unnamed sources within the Israeli government. Netanyahu’s move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate all two million Palestinians from Gaza has stalled. However, Israel continues to explore ways to resettle Palestinians outside the region, potentially sending them thousands of miles away.

Here is what you need to know

According to Israeli and former U.S. officials cited in the report, discussions have already taken place with several nations, including:

Somalia and South Sudan – two conflict-ridden nations in East Africa

Indonesia – a Muslim-majority country that has historically been supportive of the Palestinian cause

Netanyahu assigned Mossad to pursue this effort several weeks ago, but the Prime Minister’s Office has, as of now, not commented on the matter. Israel’s push to encourage the removal of Palestinians from Gaza comes as the war continues. The Israeli military has resumed attacks in the enclave and has issued fresh evacuation orders.

Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials have threatened to occupy more parts of Gaza unless Hamas agrees to release innocent hostages. Israeli leaders have debated launching a full-scale ground invasion that would confine most of Gaza’s population to a small “humanitarian area” in the southern part of the Strip.

Widespread displacement and opposition

The war has already displaced 90% of Gaza’s population, and more than 50,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. However, many Palestinians strongly oppose any effort to force them out of Gaza.

Arab nations, the Palestinian Authority, and most Western governments have historically rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

New government body for “willful departure”

Israel’s Cabinet recently approved a special directorate within the Defense Ministry to oversee the “willful departure” of Palestinians from Gaza. However, critics question whether such measures are truly voluntary.

Prominent Israeli politicians, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have openly called for the mass expulsion of Gaza’s population. Last month, Smotrich laid out a timeline in the Israeli parliament, saying:
"If we take out 10,000 a day, it will take six months. If we take out 5,000 a day, it will take a year."

Despite these efforts, many Palestinians remain determined to stay in Gaza. Significant amount of people in Israel are of the view that, till the time Palestinians live in Gaza, there can be no peace, due to the fundamentalist nature of the population in Gaza, where Jew-hatred is normal. As of now, it isn't clear if the Israeli government will succeed.