US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied that Libya is among the countries approached by Washington to accept displaced Palestinians from Gaza, following Israel’s ongoing military campaign.
During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Rubio responded to reports suggesting the US administration had contacted various nations about “voluntary” relocation options for Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza. While he acknowledged outreach to some states, he firmly stated that “Libya is not among them.”
This clarification follows a report by NBC News citing anonymous sources claiming that the United States, under President Donald Trump’s administration, was developing a plan to relocate up to one million Gazans to Libya. The alleged plan sparked regional speculation and concern, particularly given Libya’s fragile political and security situation.
Rubio stressed that the US was not seeking forced deportation. “What we have talked to some nations about is, if someone voluntarily and willingly says, ‘I want to go somewhere else for some period of time,’ are there countries in the region willing to accept them?” he explained. He cited reasons such as illness or educational needs but emphasised that decisions would be made individually.
Despite his remarks, Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley questioned whether such choices could truly be considered voluntary under conditions of war, starvation, and bombardment.
Observers stress that Libya is ill-equipped to handle large-scale refugee resettlement due to its ongoing instability, economic pressures, and lack of a unified government.
