Palestine hails South Sudan for rejecting forced relocation of Gaza’s population

By Qais Abu Samra and Tarek Chouiref

RAMALLAH, Palestine / ISTANBUL (AA) – The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday welcomed South Sudan’s rejection of the forced relocation of Gaza’s population to its territory, describing the move as a stand for justice and international law.

In a statement carried by the official Wafa news agency, the PA said President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people “highly value the principled stance” taken by Juba, which it said refuses to be part of any scheme aimed at erasing the Palestinian cause or undermining the unity of the Palestinian people and their land.

It also praised South Sudan for “steering clear of complicity” in Israel’s campaign “of genocide, starvation and forced displacement in Gaza, in defiance of international resolutions.”

On Wednesday, South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement rejecting media reports that it was in talks with Israel to host Palestinians from Gaza, calling the allegations baseless and not reflective of official policy.

The denial came after media reports suggested that Israel was exploring the possibility of transferring Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, killing more than 61,700 Palestinians.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.