Israel announced on Monday its intention to send new aid to South Sudan, one of the countries reportedly considered for the relocation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Israel will provide urgent humanitarian aid to South Sudan following the outbreak of cholera since September 2024. The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Israel will supply essential medical equipment, water purification devices, and food packages to needy populations in South Sudan under the supervision of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Meanwhile, Israel has closed all crossings to Gaza since March 2, 2024, preventing any humanitarian aid from entering, which has led to a famine in the Gaza Strip despite the accumulation of relief trucks at its borders. Limited quantities allowed in do not meet the minimum needs of Palestinians.

Last week, international media revealed that the South Sudanese government had initially agreed to an Israeli request to receive Palestinians from Gaza for relocation in exchange for Israeli investments. South Sudan later officially denied any agreement, describing these claims as baseless according to Maariv newspaper. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel visited Juba last week and met President Salva Kiir. On July 29, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he was honored to host South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mondi Smaya Kompa in Jerusalem and thanked him for his country’s support for Israel. During his visit to Israel, Kompa toured Israeli settlements in the northern occupied West Bank. Since the Israeli massacre that began on October 7, 2023, 61,944 Palestinians have been killed, 155,886 injured, mostly children and women, over 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and famine has claimed 258 lives, including 110 children.

South Sudan separated from Sudan in 2011 and suffers instability following a civil war between supporters of President Salva Kiir and his rival and deputy Riek Machar from 2013 to 2018, resulting in about 400,000 deaths and displacement of 4 million people.