According to Israeli media, officials from Israel are engaged in secret discussions with the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations regarding the resettlement of Palestinian migrants from Gaza.
The Israeli government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, considers the voluntary resettlement of individuals from the besieged Palestinian enclave to be a significant policy.
Talks have been held with various African countries to determine their willingness to accept migrants from Gaza, with the Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly being open to the idea. However, the country faces its own challenges, including high levels of poverty and inequality, as well as recurring regional conflicts and insecurity.
Israeli officials’ statements regarding the proposed resettlement plan for Palestinians have been deemed “irresponsible” by the United States. The State Department spokesperson expressed concern over the inflammatory rhetoric used by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who advocated for the voluntary migration of Palestinians outside of Gaza. However, Smotrich dismissed Washington’s objection, claiming that a majority of Israelis support the proposal due to security concerns. It should be noted that the Israeli government has clarified that these officials do not represent official policy on the Gaza conflict.
Israel’s intelligence minister, Gila Gamliel, stated that the resettlement plan would be necessary after the conflict in Gaza subsides. She highlighted the dire postwar conditions in the region, with no municipal authorities and the civilian population relying solely on humanitarian aid. Gamliel also mentioned that a significant portion of Gaza’s agricultural land would be transformed into security buffer zones. These remarks were made at a conference in the Knesset and were later shared on the Hebrew website Zman Israel.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in extensive air and ground attacks on the densely-populated Gaza enclave. Health officials report that over 22,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, while approximately 1,200 Israelis are believed to have died in the Hamas assault. The proposed resettlement plan has sparked controversy, with the United States criticizing Israeli officials’ statements as inflammatory and irresponsible. The situation in Gaza remains tense, and the future of the region is uncertain.
