Negotiations Revealed Through First High-Level Visit

Israel has been confirmed to be discussing plans to relocate Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip to South Sudan in Africa. AP News reported on the 13th (local time), citing six independent sources, that Sharren Haskel, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, is currently visiting South Sudan.

Haskel is the first senior Israeli official to officially visit South Sudan. This visit marks the first high-level contact since the two countries established diplomatic relations, suggesting that concrete negotiations are underway beyond mere diplomatic protocol.

Simultaneous Contact with 5 Countries

Israel's Channel 12, citing diplomatic sources, reported that in addition to South Sudan, Israel is discussing the resettlement of Palestinian residents with five countries: Indonesia, Uganda, Libya, and Somaliland.

A diplomatic source stated that "some countries are more open than in the past to accepting voluntary migrants from Gaza," specifically mentioning Indonesia and Somaliland. Somaliland, an unrecognized breakaway region in northern Somalia, is analyzed to be seeking international recognition through accepting Palestinian residents.

Both Sides Deny, But...

South Sudan's Foreign Ministry stated via social media platform X that "such claims are baseless and do not reflect the official position and policy of the Republic of South Sudan." The Israeli side also refused official comment.

However, Israeli government officials have long publicly advocated for relocating Palestinian residents from the Gaza Strip, home to 2 million people. U.S. President Donald Trump has also mentioned plans for the complete relocation of Gaza residents multiple times since taking office, though the vast majority of countries have rejected this. Politicians from Israel's ruling party have supported Trump's plan.

Negotiations Amid Humanitarian Paradox

According to AP News, it remains unclear how far the negotiations have progressed. Notably, South Sudan, like Gaza, is suffering from civil war and severe food shortages.

International observers believe South Sudan may accept Israel's request despite its own humanitarian crisis. The reason is diplomatic and economic benefits through strengthening relations with Israel.

Forced Deportation Controversy

The international community and Palestinian organizations are strongly criticizing these plans. AP News reported that Palestinian residents are rejecting permanent expulsion from Gaza.

Human rights groups are concerned that this plan may constitute forced transfer, which is prohibited under international law. The UN Refugee Convention and Geneva Conventions explicitly prohibit the forced transfer of residents in occupied territories.

Future Outlook [AI Analysis]

The likelihood of Israel's multinational contacts leading to substantive agreements appears low. First, most target countries are experiencing their own humanitarian crises, limiting their capacity to accommodate large populations. Second, due to strong international opposition, very few countries will openly pursue this.

However, there is a possibility that unrecognized states like Somaliland may engage in limited cooperation as a means to gain international recognition. Even in such cases, it would likely proceed on a small scale under the guise of "voluntary migration."

In the long term, third-country resettlement of some residents may be discussed as part of package negotiations linked to Gaza reconstruction issues. However, it would be difficult to pursue unilaterally without the consent of the Palestinian Authority and the international community.