On May 16, 2025, NBC News reported that the Trump administration is seriously considering a plan to relocate approximately one million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya, following President Donald Trump’s February 2025 proposal to “take over” and redevelop Gaza as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The plan, which has been discussed with Libyan leadership, involves unfreezing billions of dollars in Libyan assets that have been held by the U.S. since 2011. In exchange, Libya would agree to resettle Palestinians. While no final agreement has been reached, Israel has been informed about the ongoing discussions, according to NBC News.
Trump now planning to ‘PERMANENTLY’ move 1 MILLION Palestinians from Gaza to Libya — NBC
VIDEO: Thousands seen returning to homes in North Gaza pic.twitter.com/IuEnF3DcAv
— RT (@RT_com) May 16, 2025A U.S. official dismissed the report as “untrue,” stating, “We did not discuss such a plan, and it makes no sense,” citing Gaza’s untenable conditions. Hamas senior official Basem Naim told NBC News that he had no knowledge of the proposal, stressing, “Palestinians remain rooted in their homeland and will fight to defend it.” Libya’s Government of National Unity refused to allow the use of its territory for migrant resettlement without consent and denied any coordination with the U.S.
Trump’s Gaza plan, first announced with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 4, 2025, proposed U.S. control of Gaza and relocation of its 2.2 million Palestinians to countries like Egypt and Jordan, ideas rejected by Arab states and labeled “ethnic cleansing” by critics, including the UN and Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified the relocation would be “temporary” for rebuilding, not requiring U.S. troops.
Gaza’s Conflict Background
Israel captured Gaza in 1967, withdrawing settlers in 2005. Hamas, governing since 2007, launched an attack on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliation has killed over 53,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly 2 million, per the Palestinian Health Ministry, though Israel disputes these figures. A fragile ceasefire began in January 2025.
Report suggests a plan by Trump administration to uproot up to 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya as Israel's genocide in the besieged enclave enters its 588th day
Live updates👇
🔗 https://t.co/lBMFaQTa75 pic.twitter.com/oTguDYOszx
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) May 16, 2025The relocation plan has drawn condemnation, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres citing violations of international law.
Read: Trump Faces Backlash for AI Video Depicting Gaza as Luxurious Resort
TRT World’s claim of “expelling 1 million Palestinians” reflects outrage but remains unverified. Palestinians, rooted in Gaza, oppose displacement, recalling the 1948 Nakba. No official confirmation supports the Libya plan, leaving its feasibility uncertain.
