Egypt opposes reported plan to relocate Gaza refugees to Sudan

Egypt has raised serious concerns about a reported proposal to relocate a large number of Palestinians from Gaza to territories under the control of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a report by The New Arab on May 28th. 

These apprehensions stem from an earlier plan reportedly linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump, which involved taking control of the Palestinian coastal strip, displacing its population, and transforming the area into a so-called “Middle East Riviera.”

These concerns also follow media reports suggesting that Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—commonly known as Hemedti and leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces—has allegedly sought to gain favour with the Trump administration through a United Arab Emirates-backed initiative. This effort reportedly involved offering to host displaced Palestinians from Gaza in RSF-controlled regions of Sudan.

The proposal has provoked strong opposition from Cairo, which has been actively working to block the U.S. president’s broader plan.

Speaking to The New Arab, Egyptian political analyst Mohamed Rabie al-Dehi emphasised Egypt’s firm rejection of any forced relocation of Gaza’s population, stating, “Egypt staunchly opposes the displacement of the people of Gaza because it is keen on protecting the rights of the Palestinians to their land.”

He further stressed the urgency of a collective Arab response, noting that “Hemedti’s proposal to take in Gaza refugees makes it necessary for all Arab states to act to rescue Palestinian statehood dreams.”

So far, there has been no official confirmation of these reports from either the United States or the United Arab Emirates, and RSF leader Hemedti has not publicly addressed the alleged proposal.

However, Abu Dhabi continues to maintain strong ties with the Sudanese paramilitary group, which has been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese army since mid-April 2023. The ongoing war has devastated much of the country, forced millions of Sudanese to flee their homes both domestically and abroad, and contributed to one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.

Cairo’s concern over the possibility of the RSF hosting Gaza refugees in areas under its control stems largely from its limited influence over the Sudanese paramilitary group.

The proposal is widely regarded as “a stab in the back” to Egypt, which has been actively opposing President Trump’s plan to take control of Gaza since he publicly unveiled it in February of this year.

In recent weeks, Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to the plan on multiple occasions, most notably during his visit to three Gulf nations—his first international trip since taking office in January—where he described his vision of transforming Gaza into a “freedom zone.”

The New Arab/ Maghrebi.org