South Sudan denies reports of plans to resettle Palestinian nationals
South Sudan denies that it held discussions with Israel aimed at resettling Palestinian nationals from Gaza in the East African country.
The Associated Press reported that Israel was in discussions with South Sudan as part of a broader Israeli effort to promote mass emigration from Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel’s nearly two-year offensive against Hamas.
In a statement, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said such claims were baseless and did not reflect the official position or policy of the South Sudanese government.
Israel is believed to have suggested similar resettlement proposals with other African nations. Previous reports mentioned that Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland had been approached about accepting refugees from Gaza. However, most of these countries either denied such talks or rejected them.
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, strongly opposes any forced displacement due to security and humanitarian concerns. South Africa also condemned Israeli evacuation orders, particularly in Rafah, as unlawful and in violation of international humanitarian law.
Critics warn that discussions surrounding the displacement of Palestinians to unstable countries, like South Sudan, raise serious legal and ethical concerns.
