The Trump administration is not actively pursuing the president's plan to resettle roughly 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and is instead focused on restoring a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas terrorists and returning the rest of the hostages to Israel, Axios reported.
Israel, however, through its Mossad foreign intelligence agency, has been engaged in displacement talks with at least three countries, according to the report.
Early last month, President Donald Trump floated an idea that displaced Palestinians could be "permanently" resettled outside Gaza while the U.S. takes over the strip postwar and redevelops it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
Trump announced the plan while hosting talks at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who embraced the plan.
Several weeks ago, according to Axios, Netanyahu gave Mossad the assignment of secretly talking to countries about relocating Palestinians. Talks have been held with Somalia, South Sudan, and Indonesia, among others, according to the report.
Israel resumed strikes and ground operations against Hamas terrorists on March 18 after weeks of a temporary ceasefire that saw 33 hostages returned. Israel restarted military operations to pressure Hamas after talks to extend the truce fizzled out. Israel says 58 hostages are still held in Gaza, including 34 who are dead.
"The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert," Netanyahu told parliament this week. "This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate here."
Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy to the Middle East, is actively trying to restore the ceasefire and secure the release of the remaining hostages, according to Axios.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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