The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly in discussions with Libya to relocate up to one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to an NBC News report published Friday.
Citing sources familiar with the talks, the report claims the U.S. has offered to release billions of dollars in frozen Libyan assets—originally blocked in 2011 during the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi—as part of the proposed agreement.
One former U.S. official noted that financial incentives would be offered to Palestinians who voluntarily agreed to leave Gaza. The idea of removing the enclave’s population outside its borders is not new and has been quietly floated by both the Trump administration and others in the past. Previous proposals reportedly involved countries such as Albania, Somalia, and Indonesia as potential relocation destinations.
However, this is the first publicly reported instance in which the plan has been directly discussed with the leadership of a specific country.
In February, President Trump proposed that the United States take administrative control of Gaza while removing its population, a suggestion rejected by both Egypt and Jordan, despite Trump’s claims at the time that he could pressure the countries into agreement, including threats to withdraw financial and military aid.
While visiting Qatar on Thursday, Trump appeared to revive the idea, floating a proposal to transform Gaza into a so-called "freedom zone" under U.S. control.
Though controversial, these proposals are not unique to the Trump administration. In October 2023, following the outbreak of the current conflict in Gaza, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly proposed similar ideas during meetings with Arab leaders. The backlash from regional governments was so severe that the Biden White House later issued a statement reaffirming it would not support the forced removal of Palestinians.
As Trump wrapped up what he described as a successful Middle East trip—during which he secured major investment commitments from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—Israel launched a large-scale offensive in northern Gaza. The operation, long anticipated, began with intense aerial bombardments that reportedly left over 100 people dead, followed by the deployment of ground forces, including tanks.
While recent reports have noted tensions between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the timing of Israel’s offensive, coinciding with the conclusion of Trump’s regional tour, raises questions about the reported rift.
In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Trump denied there was any rift between him and Netanyahu.
The Gaza Strip is internationally recognized as part of an independent Palestinian state by 147 of the United Nations' 193 member states. Any forced removal of its population and subsequent de facto annexation would likely be viewed as a major violation of international law and a serious challenge to the post-World War II international order.