The director of the Israeli intelligence agency reportedly sought U.S. aid in resettling Gazans in a visit to Washington, D.C. this week, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Axios on Friday.

Mossad Director David Barnea reportedly spoke to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff about resettling Gazans to other nations with U.S. aid, naming Ethiopia, Indonesia and Libya specifically as potential destinations, sources told Axios. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that any relocation of Gazans would be voluntary, the move remains highly controversial as many critics characterize the idea as a potential war crime.

“I think President Trump had a brilliant vision. It’s called free choice. You know, if people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be a prison,” Netanyahu said regarding the idea of voluntary relocation in a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. (RELATED: Mike Huckabee Reportedly Threatens Israel Over Treatment Of Christians)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) attend a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on July 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Witkoff reportedly said that Ethiopia, Indonesia and Libya expressed openness to taking the thousands of Gazans, sources told Axios. While Barnea said the U.S. should offer those nations incentives to take in the refugees, Witkoff was reportedly not committed to the idea.

While Trump and Netanyahu were initially warm to the idea, the plan reportedly faced significant pushback from Arab nations in the region, according to Axios.

As of 2025, an estimated 2.1 million people are living in Gaza. A peaceful resolution to the three-year conflict between Israel and Hamas is still ongoing as talks brokered by the U.S. have so far not netted results.

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