Israel Reportedly Seeks U.S. Help to Relocate Palestinians from Gaza, Says Axios
WASHINGTON, July 19 (VOM-Voice of Malaysia)— Israel is actively seeking support from the United States to persuade third countries to accept large numbers of Palestinians from Gaza as part of a proposed relocation plan, according to a report published by Axios.
The report, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, revealed that Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Washington this week and raised the issue during high-level meetings with senior U.S. officials. The talks reportedly included efforts to convince the Biden administration to help identify potential countries willing to absorb hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the besieged enclave.
According to Axios, Barnea’s visit aimed to build diplomatic support for what Israeli officials have described as a long-term strategy to “voluntarily” resettle Gazans in third countries amid the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in the territory.
While no official U.S. endorsement of the plan has been announced, the discussions signal a shift in Israel’s messaging, which critics say amounts to a veiled attempt at mass population transfer—a move that would violate international law if done forcibly or under duress.
The reported relocation plan has drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian officials and human rights groups, who view it as a form of ethnic cleansing under the guise of humanitarian resettlement.
“Any plan that seeks to depopulate Gaza is an assault on Palestinian national identity and a continuation of the Nakba,” said a senior Palestinian Authority official, referring to the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948.
More than 2 million Palestinians currently reside in Gaza, most of whom are already registered as refugees. Since Israel’s war in Gaza began following the October 7 Hamas attack, the territory has been plunged into a humanitarian catastrophe, with tens of thousands killed or wounded and infrastructure decimated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials have not confirmed the specifics of the relocation proposal but have hinted at long-term “security solutions” that would involve “demilitarizing and depopulating” parts of Gaza.
Earlier this year, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly called for the “voluntary emigration” of Gazans, prompting global outrage and concern from the United Nations.
The Axios report did not identify which countries Israel is hoping to involve but noted that the discussions remain highly sensitive and are part of broader postwar planning efforts.
U.S. officials have so far reiterated their stance that Gaza must remain Palestinian and that any resolution must avoid forced displacement. Washington has also reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state solution.
Still, the latest revelations have added urgency to international calls for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a diplomatic resolution to the crisis that respects Palestinian rights and sovereignty.
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