GAROWE (SD) – Officials from Puntland have spoken about a plan by Israel and the United States to relocate the people of Gaza to Puntland and Somaliland, regions of Somalia, to take control of the Gaza Strip.

Yacquub Mohamed Abdalla, the Deputy Minister of Information in Puntland, told The Telegraph that the regional government would be happy to host refugees from Gaza if they arrive voluntarily. He emphasized that the free movement of people would be welcomed, as long as it follows international law.

In another statement on his Facebook page, Abdullahi Mohamed Jama, the former spokesperson for Puntland, said that accepting Palestinians would be beneficial for the region, helping it gain international support. He mentioned that the people of Gaza are fellow Muslims, like the people of Puntland, and that their presence would contribute to the “modernization and development” of the region. He also noted that Yemeni refugees had brought technical expertise when they arrived.

However, Will Brown, an Africa affairs expert from the European Council on Foreign Relations, described the idea of relocating hundreds of thousands of Gazans to Somalia as “irrational.” He argued that Somalia is a fragile state, severely affected by jihadist violence, and that the idea of resettling such vulnerable people there is alarming.

Jama emphasized that such relocation should be voluntary and that no one should be forced to leave their country.