Israel holds secret talks with DR Congo to take in Palestinians from Gaza

Israel is holding secret talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo, urging the Central African country to take in Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

According to the Times of Israel news website, Israeli officials held talks with officials in DR Congo and other African nations to accept Palestinians from Gaza.

"(Democratic Republic of) Congo will be willing to take in migrants (Palestinians), and we're in talks with others," a senior Israeli security official told the news website.

"At the end of the war, Hamas rule will collapse, there are no municipal authorities, and the civilian population will be entirely dependent on humanitarian aid," Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel said.

"There will be no work, and 60% of Gaza's agricultural land will become security buffer zones," she added.

On Tuesday, the U.S. rejected what it said were "irresponsible" statements by Israeli ministers on expelling Palestinians from Gaza.

"The United States rejects recent statements from Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible," he added.

Both the ministers on various occasions called for what they described as the "voluntary evacuation" of Palestinians from Gaza.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,313 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,296 others injured, according to Gaza's health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.