South Sudan Denies Reports of Talks with Israel to Resettle Gazans

South Sudan’s government has denied media reports suggesting it is engaged in discussions with Israel to resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza on its territory.

The statement, issued Wednesday by South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came after reports in Israeli media that Israel had been in talks with Juba and several other countries to advance a plan encouraging Gaza residents to emigrate.

“We completely reject the media claims that the Government of South Sudan is in discussions with the Government of Israel on the resettlement of Gazans in our territory,” the ministry said. “These statements do not reflect our official position.”

The ministry also urged media outlets to exercise caution and verify information through official channels before publication.

Reports on Tuesday claimed that in addition to South Sudan, Israel had been holding talks with five other countries — including Indonesia, Libya, Ethiopia, and another unnamed African nation — to explore options for absorbing Gaza’s population. The reports noted that Sudan’s foreign minister visited Israel just last week.

However, officials in South Sudan expressed skepticism about the feasibility of such a plan, suggesting that relocating Gazans from the enclave to South Sudan would be “a move from one difficult situation to another,” citing the country’s own economic and political challenges.