Jakarta Unaware of Trump Envoy’s Plan to Deport Gazans to Indonesia: Report

Jakarta (Quds News Network)- An Indonesian official has denied reports that Trump’s envoy to the Middle East is planning to deport some of Gaza’s two million residents to the South Asian island nation during post-war reconstruction.

NBC makes the revelation in a Saturday report, citing a transition official with direct knowledge of the ceasefire process who said that Steve Witkof is considering “relocating” some of Gaza’s two million residents outside the enclave, with Indonesia proposed as one of the potential temporary host countries.

The official said the idea of relocation is reportedly part of Trump and his team’s plans for longer-term solutions.

The official stated, “If we don’t help the Gazans, if we don’t make their life better, if we don’t give them a sense of hope, there’s going to be a rebellion.”

However, in Jakarta, officials denied the claim, saying they have “never received any information regarding this.”

According to a report in Jakarta Globe, Indonesia was not planning on housing Gazan residents. Jakarta’s Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesman Roy Soemirat told the news outlet that before the NBC report, officials in Jakarta had never heard of such a plan.

“The Indonesian government has never received any information regarding this,” Soemirat told the press on Monday.

15 months of Israeli bombardment have reduced buildings to rubble and ash, leaving large areas of Gaza uninhabitable. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and a prisoner release deal, which was implemented on January 19.

In the first phase of the deal, Hamas is expected to return a total of 33 Israeli captives. The exact number of Palestinians due to be released as part of the ceasefire deal is still unknown, with reported estimates ranging from approximately 1,000 to nearly 2,000.

The second phase of ceasefire negotiations is due to begin in two weeks.

The ceasefire deal is set to roll out in three phases and includes sending in many more humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza to alleviate the disaster in the enclave.

The first stage will last 42 days as Israeli forces pull out of parts of Gaza.

While Indonesia might not have any plans to serve as a host country, the island nation has regularly offered its support to the Palestinian people, both diplomatic and humanitarian. A staunch supporter of a two-state solution, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, said back in June that, if needed, his country would be willing to send peacekeeping troops to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza.

The news that a ceasefire agreement had been reached was welcomed last week by the country’s foreign minister Sugiono, who announced that Indonesia “stands ready to contribute to rebuilding the lives of the people in Gaza.”

In an interview with Jakarta Globe, Sugiono said this would include humanitarian assistance, helping to restore UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA’s role and “supporting Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.”

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