Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has firmly dismissed reports suggesting that Palestinian refugees from Gaza may be relocated to Somalia. Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, the President called such rumors “completely baseless” and reaffirmed Somalia’s longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“There has been no discussion with Somalia about receiving Palestinian refugees,” President Hassan Sheikh stated. “The solution is not to displace people from their homeland and settle them elsewhere. Palestine belongs to the Palestinians.”
The President emphasized that any plan to move Palestinians away from their ancestral land would be a violation of their rights and a betrayal of their national struggle. “They have a right to live on their land, and Somalia will not be party to any scheme that denies them that right,” he asserted.
President Mohamud also criticized actors promoting such relocation agendas, saying they would only fuel further suffering and injustice. “Anyone facilitating such plans is, in essence, contributing to the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people,” he said.
His remarks follow growing social media speculation and media reports claiming that Somalia, among other countries, might be considered as a host nation for displaced Palestinians from Gaza and other parts of the occupied territories. The rumors have sparked widespread public concern and debate in Somalia and the diaspora.
Somalis have long been vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause, consistently expressing solidarity through religious, humanitarian, and national sentiments. The bond between the two peoples is rooted in shared values and a mutual understanding of displacement and resilience.
Since October 2023, the war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and forced many more to flee their homes under relentless Israeli bombardment. Human rights organizations continue to warn against any attempts to forcibly relocate Palestinians, arguing that such moves would set a dangerous precedent and undermine their right to return.
