Israeli report: Trump eyes Morocco, Puntland, Somaliland for Gaza resettlement

Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States plans to “take over” the Gaza Strip and “resettle” those already there to “rebuild the territory,” the Trump administration is considering three potential locations for the relocation of refugee Gazans, Israeli publication N12 reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the regions under consideration are Morocco, Puntland, and Somaliland. The report noted that the three countries have in common a strong need for US support, with Somaliland and Puntland seeking international recognition and Morocco having an ongoing territorial dispute over Western Sahara.

The news comes after Trump told The Jerusalem Post that he believed Jordan and Egypt would “not say no to him” when asked to accept refugees from Gaza during a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Trump said, “They will not say no to me. I want to get all the inhabitants of Gaza out. It will happen,” Trump said.

On the other hand, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a meeting at the Pentagon with Netanyahu, who is in the US for political talks.

“The president is willing to think outside the box, to look for new, unique, dynamic ways to solve seemingly intractable problems,” Hegseth said at the beginning of the meeting, commenting on Trump’s statements that “Gazans could be resettled in other countries” and that “the United States will take over the Gaza Strip.”

Stating that they are “ready to consider all options” on Gaza, Hegseth also said that the Trump administration will provide Israel with weapons that “have not been supplied before and are useful in eliminating radical enemies.”

Netanyahu, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of US-Israeli cooperation and said, “By confronting various enemies, we defeat not only those who want to attack us, but also those who want to attack you. Therefore, our victory is your victory,” he said.

In a statement released by the Pentagon, it was emphasized that Hegseth expressed his satisfaction with Israel’s operations against Iran and its proxies.

“Both leaders agreed that Iran poses a threat to regional security and agreed to work together to address this challenge,” the statement said.

The Pentagon said Minister Hegseth made it clear that the United States, under President Trump’s leadership, will stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel to “achieve peace through strength.”