Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas has called on South Sudan to reject Israel's reported proposal to relocate residents of the Gaza Strip to its territory.
In a published statement, Abbas’s office praised "Sudan's resistance to participating in plans aimed at eliminating the Palestinian issue or harming the unity of the Palestinian people and land."
The statement further noted that Abbas "appreciates South Sudan's courageous stance, which is committed to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, to international law, and to international resolutions that define displacement as a 'war crime' and oppose, even indirectly, Israel's war."
On Wednesday, Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry published an official statement which denied reports that it was in discussions with Israel regarding the resettlement of Gazan Arabs in the country.
The statement claimed that the claims are "baseless and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan."
The statement also called on media outlets to "exercise due diligence and verify information through official channels before publication."
Despite the official denial by South Sudan, diplomatic sources told The Telegraph that the country has agreed to receive Gaza Arab civilians under a resettlement plan quietly brokered with Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
An official from South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry told the British outlet that the cabinet had approved the arrangement, which includes Israeli investment in infrastructure and US sanctions relief, alongside Emirati financial support.