Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), has proposed hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians from Gaza in areas under his control to gain international legitimacy and US backing, according to Egyptian and Qatari sources familiar with regional mediation efforts.
Speaking to Al Manassa, a Qatari source familiar with the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, said the initiative is part of broader Emirati efforts aimed at rebranding Hemedti in the eyes of the US administration.
As part of this effort, Hemedti has reportedly offered to host hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans in areas under RSF control, in exchange for international legitimacy and reintegration into Sudan’s political landscape — a move that comes amid major battlefield setbacks for the RSF as the Sudanese army advances on key strongholds.
The plan comes amid increasing international scrutiny over attempts to forcibly relocate Gazans to neighboring countries. In February, US President Donald Trump floated a controversial proposal to resettle Palestinians and redevelop Gaza into the “Middle East Riviera,” prompting widespread condemnation and accusations of ethnic cleansing from rights groups.
In response, an emergency Arab League summit held in Cairo endorsed a $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza that explicitly rejects forced displacement. The plan includes temporary housing for up to 1.5 million people and a six-month transitional administration to oversee debris removal and infrastructure restoration.
Despite the Arab consensus, the US and Israeli governments have continued covert talks with regional governments to find host countries for over one million Gazans. Egypt and Jordan have rejected these plans, which they view as an existential threat to the Palestinian cause.
According to the Qatari source, whose country officially supports the Sudanese army against the RSF, unnamed regional actors have recently sought to persuade Sudan’s military leadership and Sovereignty Council to engage in indirect talks with the US and Israel on Gaza resettlement. These overtures were firmly rejected by Sudanese military officials, who cited popular opposition.
In March, CBS News reported that the Trump administration and Israel had approached the governments of Sudan and Somalia, and shown interest in Syria, as potential locations for the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza. This idea was one of several options being considered by the Trump team as part of a broader effort to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and facilitate the rebuilding of the region. Diplomatic sources confirmed to CBS News at the time that officials from both Israel and the US communicated these proposals to Sudan and Somalia.
Somalia's Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi told Reuters that his country would categorically reject “any proposal or initiative, from any party, that would undermine the Palestinian people’s right to live peacefully on their ancestral land.”
He added that Somalia’s government had not received any such proposal and opposed any plan involving the use of Somali territory for resettling other populations.
An Egyptian source close to the Gaza ceasefire talks also confirmed to Al Manassa that the UAE is brokering the proposal between Hemedti and US officials. The source said Washington has expressed skepticism about the feasibility of resettling Gazans in RSF-held territory but has not ruled it out as a future option.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s transitional government has severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, declaring it a hostile state. The move follows a case brought by Sudan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the UAE of violating the Genocide Convention by supporting RSF fighters in Darfur. The ICJ dismissed the complaint, citing lack of jurisdiction.
The UAE has categorically denied the allegations, calling the case a 'political charade' and a 'cynical publicity stunt.'
The war in Sudan, now in its second year, pits the national army, led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, against the RSF under Hemedti. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, leaving many at risk of famine.
On December 17, Human Rights Watch accused RSF forces and allied militias of committing widespread sexual violence in southern Sudan. The US has also accused the RSF of committing genocide in Darfur and has imposed sanctions on its leader, Hemedti.
