Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Aug 19: Israel is reportedly exploring the possibility of transferring Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan as part of a broader push for large-scale emigration, the New York Times has reported.

For months, Israeli officials have spoken of ‘voluntary migration,’ presenting it as a humanitarian option for Palestinians wishing to leave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israel is not “pushing out” people, but has avoided clarifying whether those who depart would ever be allowed to return.

According to the NYT, South Sudan has publicly denied involvement, but senior officials in Juba have privately discussed the idea with Israeli representatives. The report adds that the plan has raised fresh questions over Gaza’s future.

The development comes as Hamas announced on Monday that it had accepted a ceasefire-hostage release proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar. The plan involves a 60-day pause in fighting and the release of 10 captives. Israel is yet to respond, with Netanyahu hinting at plans to seize Gaza City and push its population further south. “We can see clearly that Hamas is under immense pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to worsen. On Tuesday, a ship carrying 1,200 tonnes of food aid left Cyprus for Israel’s port of Ashdod before being sent to Gaza. “The situation is beyond dire,” Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said.

The United Nations has warned of famine taking hold in Gaza, even as Netanyahu dismissed reports of starvation as “lies.” Gaza’s Health Ministry claims the death toll from the 22-month war has crossed 62,000, with women and children making up nearly half.

Aid workers too have borne a heavy cost, with the UN reporting 383 killed worldwide in 2024, nearly half in Gaza — a record figure that humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called “a shameful indictment of international inaction.”