Mossad seeks to relocate Gazans, Libya named

The director of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, visited Washington this week to request US backing for a sensitive Israeli initiative aimed at encouraging several third countries — including Libya — to accept large numbers of displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to an exclusive report published by Axios on Friday.

Citing informed sources, Axios revealed that Barnea met with US Middle East envoy Steve Wietckoff and disclosed that Israel had been holding discreet discussions with Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Libya to explore the possibility of relocating Palestinians from Gaza. According to the report, Barnea claimed these countries had shown initial openness to the idea, though no formal agreements have been reached.

During the meeting, Barnea reportedly urged Washington to offer political or economic incentives to encourage those countries to cooperate, and asked the US to assist Israel in persuading them to proceed. However, Wietckoff did not express a firm position, and it remains unclear whether the US administration will become directly involved.

These discussions come amid growing international concern that Israel’s policy toward Gaza may constitute forced displacement. While Israeli officials have framed the initiative as “voluntary migration,” legal experts in both the US and Israel have warned that such efforts could amount to violations of international law.

The relocation file was reportedly raised during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to the White House, during which he told American officials that Israel is working “closely” with Washington to identify countries willing to host Palestinians from Gaza. Netanyahu emphasised what he described as the importance of offering Gaza’s residents “freedom of choice” — to remain under siege or leave for a third country.

Axios also reported that Netanyahu has tasked the Mossad with identifying potential host nations. However, the idea of mass population transfer has triggered deep concern across the Arab region and beyond, with critics warning that it could escalate tensions and spark a broader humanitarian catastrophe.

Libya’s inclusion sparks controversy

Libya’s reported inclusion in the talks has raised alarm among analysts and civil society figures, particularly given the country’s fragile political environment and lack of unified governance. Observers warn that any attempt to involve Libya in such a sensitive international relocation scheme could provoke public backlash and add further strain to national stability.

In mid-May, the US Embassy in Tripoli issued a public denial of earlier media reports claiming that the Trump administration had developed a plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Libya. “The report about alleged plans to relocate Gaza residents to Libya is false,” the embassy stated on its official account on X (formerly Twitter), responding to claims circulated by NBC News.

Historical echoes of controversial proposals

The concept of relocating Gaza’s population to neighbouring countries is not new. In early 2025, former US President Donald Trump floated a highly controversial proposal to resettle more than two million Palestinians from Gaza in Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab countries. He claimed the enclave had become uninhabitable due to widespread destruction and suggested turning Gaza into a “Middle East Riviera” — a statement that drew shock and condemnation throughout the region.

Trump later appeared to backpedal, stating he would not impose the plan, but would merely recommend it. He added that “no one will be forced out” of Gaza — a stark contrast to his earlier suggestion that the United States would take control of the territory and transfer its population elsewhere.

Palestinian resistance movements, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have repeatedly pledged to thwart any such plans, viewing them as part of a broader effort to erase Palestinian presence from Gaza.

A humanitarian crisis still unfolding

Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, Gaza has endured unprecedented devastation. More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed, and nearly 90,000 injured, according to the latest estimates by international humanitarian agencies. The majority of the population — approximately 2.2 million people — has been forcibly displaced within the territory. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled, and essential infrastructure has collapsed.

Thousands remain missing under the rubble, and aid organisations warn that Gaza is facing famine-like conditions, with a looming public health catastrophe.