‘We Are Talking About People, Not Negotiation Chips’: South Sudan Voices Caution on Gaza Relocation Plan
Diplomatic visits between Israel and South Sudan signal progress on controversial discussions about relocating Palestinians from Gaza, though South Sudanese officials publicly deny such plans
What began as an idea circulating quietly in diplomatic and policy circles now appears to be advancing. South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba recently visited Israel, meeting with senior Israeli officials. At the same time, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel is on a diplomatic trip to Juba. These exchanges suggest that discussions on the possible relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan have taken on a more formal dimension, despite a statement of denial from the South Sudanese government today.
The talks come as the war in Gaza approaches its second year. Since the conflict began in October 2023, Israeli operations have left much of the enclave destroyed—flattened neighborhoods, crippled infrastructure, and a devastated economy. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it continues targeting tunnels, weapons storage sites, and Hamas command hubs embedded in civilian areas. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll has been severe, with hundreds of thousands displaced and facing dire conditions.
Recent polling by analyst Khalil Shikaki underscores the scale of displacement, with more than half of Gazans saying they would leave if given the chance, and even higher numbers among those whose homes were destroyed.
Over 50% according to surveys, probably more, want to leave
Dr. Harel Chorev, senior researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center, told The Media Line that such sentiment is hardly surprising. “Over 50% according to surveys, probably more, want to leave. It’s understandable—in any war of this scale, people look for a way out. In Gaza, the future is extremely obscure. Most cities are damaged or destroyed because of the terror infrastructure the IDF is finding there, and the hundreds of kilometers of tunnels. There are no jobs, no future, and obviously people want to leave.”
He also pointed to Hamas’ failure to offer any viable governance alternative. “For years, Hamas has controlled Gaza, but without presenting a vision that convinces people there’s a better tomorrow. Combine that with the scale of destruction now, and you have a population that is understandably looking for a way out.”
While relocation proposals to countries like South Sudan have been discussed for months, Chorev said the current climate gives them new political weight. “In the current context, it’s also being used as leverage on Hamas: If you won’t stabilize the situation, release the hostages, and reach an agreement, this is the future,” he said. “It’s not to push them or force them—but rather to open the option for those who wish to leave. Hamas is aware that many people would take that option, and that could weaken its base of support.”
According to Chorev, these ideas target two audiences at once—Gazans, as a possible escape from hardship, and Hamas, as a warning that time is not on its side.
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Edmund Yakani, a South Sudanese human rights activist and executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, linked the talks to broader geopolitical maneuvering. He noted that South Sudan has been working to repair relations with the United States, which serves as the UN Security Council’s penholder on South Sudan. “We have a UN arms embargo, and senior leaders are under sanctions from the US, UK, and EU. Less than a month ago, South Sudan accepted eight deportees from the US, and later deported one of them back to Washington. Right after, our foreign minister traveled to the US to solve the matter, while President Trump encouraged accepting Palestinians from Gaza. Then our minister went on a trip to Israel. The sequence is notable.”
This could be seen as a way for our government to gain favor with the United States
Such a move, he suggested, could be aimed at gaining favor with Washington. “This could be seen as a way for our government to gain favor with the United States, especially after President Trump’s earlier call for relocating Gazans. If South Sudan positions itself as part of that plan, it may strengthen our bargaining power with Washington.”
Hosting Palestinians, Yakani added, could also be used to raise South Sudan’s international profile. “This would put South Sudan back into the discussion at the global level—not just with Israel but also with the United States and other countries. The war in Sudan is forgotten internationally, and by taking in Palestinians, South Sudan could become a subject of renewed diplomatic attention.”
Yet he cautioned against treating people as “negotiation chips” and warned of political contradictions. “We fought for independence from North Sudan, which denied us self-determination. If we now play along with Israel in a way that denies Palestinians their national determination, it would be contradicting our own history. We should not entangle ourselves in the Palestinian issue in this way.”
From our perspective, there are serious humanitarian and security issues
Domestic instability, he warned, could also endanger any relocated Palestinians. “From Israel’s point of view, the priority is gaining access to Gaza’s land. From our perspective, there are serious humanitarian and security issues. Every piece of land here has an owner, often tied to ethnicity. There is no unclaimed territory. Bringing Palestinians here could expose them to political violence and ethnic targeting. Our transition is fragile, and even South Sudanese citizens lack full state protection. Anti-Arab and anti-Islam sentiment is strong, and that could affect Palestinians negatively. These sentiments are rooted in our history with the North, and they don’t disappear easily.”
Israel’s ties to South Sudan date back to its independence struggle. “There is a history of cooperation, and this could be seen as repaying Israel for past support,” Chorev said. “Israel sees South Sudan as one of the few friendly states in a region where its diplomatic reach is limited, and that makes the relationship strategically valuable.”
Yakani recalled that Israel’s assistance was not limited to politics. “Israeli retired colonels trained our forces, and there were reports of drones supplied during the war with the North. Those ties matter now—this is part of why our government is open to Israel’s proposals. You also have the Christian Zionist groups here who actively support Israel, which plays a role in shaping political attitudes.”
The Christian Zionist groups here … actively support Israel, which plays a role in shaping political attitudes
Publicly, Israeli officials have emphasized that any relocation would be voluntary. “I’ve heard the prime minister say that Gazans will be allowed to return. While some on the far right speak about permanent transfer, the main powers in government are talking about allowing people to leave and rebuild elsewhere temporarily, without preventing them from coming back in the future,” Chorev said.
Even so, he acknowledged that the optics could be damaging. “Israel will be accused of trying to remove Palestinians permanently. At the same time, it is doing what no other country has done—providing aid to an enemy during wartime. Gaza isn’t occupied; it’s under Hamas control. The destruction means many won’t want to remain. Mass migration in such situations is historically unsurprising—it happens.”
States opposed to Israel will see us as aligning against the Palestinians
Yakani warned of possible fallout if the plan proceeds. “If the deal happens, we will face criticism in the East African Community, IGAD [the Intergovernmental Authority on Development], the African Union, and beyond. States opposed to Israel will see us as aligning against the Palestinians, and we could share in the same criticisms directed at Israel. This could increase our isolation. This may be a ‘no going back’ situation for us given the things unfolding on the ground these days.”
With Gaza’s war unresolved and South Sudan’s stability uncertain, the fate of any relocation plan may hinge on whether the people most affected—Gaza’s residents—are given a genuine voice in determining their own future.
