Trump’s Plan to Relocate 1 Million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya Sparks Global Outrage

A recent X post, dated May 16, 2025, has ignited widespread controversy by revealing a plan from the Trump administration to relocate as many as 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya.

This proposal, which echoes earlier suggestions by Trump to reshape Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” has drawn sharp criticism and concern from various quarters.

The idea of displacing such a large population comes against the backdrop of ongoing conflict and suffering in Gaza, raising serious ethical and logistical questions about its feasibility and impact.

The Trump administration’s proposal is not entirely new. Historical reports, such as one from The Independent on May 6, 2025, indicate that Trump has previously floated ideas of displacing Palestinians to facilitate ambitious redevelopment projects in Gaza.

However, the latest plan to move them to Libya has intensified global backlash, especially given the region’s instability.

Libya has long been a perilous destination for migrants and refugees.

A 2022 Amnesty International report documented severe abuses in Libya, including torture, rape, and arbitrary detention of migrants by militias and state-affiliated groups.

For Palestinians already enduring the hardships of war, relocation to such an environment could mean trading one crisis for another, potentially worsening their plight.

Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains dire. Israel’s military operations have escalated, with a recent offensive named “Gideon’s Chariots” aiming to push Gaza’s population into a confined southern area.

According to a BBC report from May 15, 2025, the past 20 months of conflict have been devastating, with nearly 100 people killed in northern Gaza in recent weeks alone.

The Israeli operation seeks to control the territory more tightly, providing Palestinians with just enough aid to avoid starvation—a strategy that has drawn condemnation for its humanitarian implications.

Relocating 1 million people under these circumstances would not only be a logistical nightmare but also a humanitarian disaster, as highlighted by NBC News on May 16, 2025.

The financial burden of such a mass relocation remains unclear, with past U.S. suggestions that Arab nations might fund Gaza’s rebuilding falling flat amid criticism of forced displacement.

The global response to Trump’s plan has been overwhelmingly negative, with many viewing it as a violation of Palestinian rights and international law.

Critics argue that Gaza is widely recognized as part of a future Palestinian state, and displacing its people undermines their sovereignty.

The proposal also risks further straining U.S. relations with Arab nations and other allies, who have rejected similar ideas in the past.

As the debate rages on, the fate of Gaza’s population hangs in the balance, caught between geopolitical strategies and a deepening humanitarian crisis.