Slovenia rejects proposals to resettle Palestinians outside Gaza

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Slovenia rejected Wednesday the idea of the Israeli government’s suggestion of mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, according to the Foreign Ministry.

“Slovenia rejects the recent statements of members of the Israeli government who proposed mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaze,'' it said in a statement on social media.

Any emigration of the Palestinian population from Gaza is against international law and would further threaten the prospects for a sustainable two-state solution, according to the ministry.

''We once again call for respect for international law and international humanitarian law and the protection of the civilian population in Gaza,'' said the statement.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Tuesday that they support the voluntary migration of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip from the region.

The hardline Israeli officials called for "voluntary evacuation" of Palestinians from Gaza and urged countries to take them in.

The UK and the US firmly rejected any suggestion of the resettlement of Palestinians.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,185 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,035 injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.​​​​​​​

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine.