The Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya, according to five sources familiar with the matter who spoke to NBC News. The plan is reportedly being taken seriously, with evidence including discussions held with Libyan leadership.
Sources told NBC that, in exchange for hosting the Palestinians, the U.S. would release billions of dollars in frozen funds that have been held for more than a decade. Three sources said no agreement has yet been reached and noted that Israel has been updated on the talks. The State Department and the National Security Council did not respond to NBC’s requests for comment.
Libya has faced instability for the past 14 years, following the outbreak of civil war and the overthrow of its leader Muammar Gaddafi. Two rival governments—one in the west, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and another in the east under Khalifa Haftar—are competing for control. The State Department advises Americans against traveling to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, kidnappings, and armed conflicts.
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It is unclear how many Palestinians would voluntarily agree to leave Gaza. One possibility discussed within the administration, according to a former U.S. official, is to offer financial incentives, free housing, and even scholarships to encourage relocation.
Hamas senior official Basem Naim said the group was not informed of the talks and insisted that Gazans would not leave: “The Palestinians are rooted in their land, committed to their homeland, and ready to fight to the last and sacrifice everything to protect their land, homeland, families, and their children’s future. The Palestinians alone have the right to decide what to do, including the people of Gaza.”