South Sudan denied on Wednesday that it is holding discussions with Israeli occupation authorities regarding the resettlement of Gaza Strip residents on its territory.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement refuting “recent media reports claiming that the Government of the Republic of South Sudan is engaged in discussions with the State of Israel regarding the resettlement of Palestinian nationals from Gaza.”

These remarks came in response to an Associated Press (AP) report which, citing six sources, stated that Israel had held preliminary contacts with the South Sudanese government to explore the possibility of transferring Palestinians to the country.

According to AP, these efforts are part of the Zionist regime’s broader strategy to encourage what it terms “voluntary migration” from Gaza to third countries—a policy that human rights organizations condemn as a form of forced displacement prohibited under international law.

South Sudan’s communiqué dismissed the claims as “baseless” and called on “all media outlets to exercise due diligence and verify information through official channels before publication.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharon Haskel arrived in Juba on Wednesday in what is reportedly the first official visit by a high-ranking Israeli official to South Sudan, according to i24 News.

Haskel is expected to meet with President Salva Kiir and other government officials, and to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing regular consultations between the foreign ministries of both nations.

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