News- Middle East: The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has modeled plans to resettle Palestinians from Gaza to Somalia and Somaliland on behalf of Israeli businessmen.

According to sources familiar with the plan, Somalia and Somaliland were among several nations considered for the forced relocation of Palestinians. Other countries on the list included Egypt, the UAE, and Jordan.

In February, US President Donald Trump openly expressed his desire to transform Gaza into what he refers to as the "Riviera of the Middle East."

The plan would require Gaza’s existing population of about two million to be emptied out. Legal experts warn that forcible displacement on such a scale would amount to ethnic cleansing.

When the plan was reported, it sparked widespread backlash, prompting the consulting firm to publicly distance itself from the project. The company stated that the lead partner had been explicitly instructed not to proceed with the work.

Reports indicate that the relocation plans stemmed from discussions between Israeli and US officials and East African leaders about accepting Palestinian deportees. In exchange, incentives were reportedly offered, including potential recognition of Somaliland's independence.

“By accepting the Gazans who relocate temporarily and voluntarily, a country will get an injection of population that will have an economic benefit that clearly could be significant,” a person familiar with the work told the Financial Times.

“But the countries in the model were not picked based on a knowledge of specific discussions. The idea was to understand the economic issues related to options that President Trump had put on the table,” the source added.

Reports indicate the proposal's slide deck estimated that 25% of Gaza's Palestinian population would voluntarily choose to leave the territory, with most not returning. BCG reportedly forecast $4.7 billion in economic gains for host nations within the first four years of accepting relocated Palestinians.

BCG was also involved in designing and managing the US-backed aid distribution scheme. Despite initially denying any connection to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), reports reveal the firm secured contracts worth over $4 million for seven months of work.

According to reports, BCG—whose alumni include Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu—joined the GHF initiative after US security firm Orbis hired it to assess a new aid operation's feasibility.

BCG's selection reportedly stemmed from ties to Phil Reilly, a former CIA officer at Orbis who previously advised BCG for eight years.

Reilly recently founded Safe Reach Solutions, a private security firm now protecting GHF's Gaza aid centers.

Palestinians in the besieged territory have reported numerous cases of Israeli forces and GHF contractors deliberately firing on aid seekers in the vicinity of the aid distribution centers.

Since launching its genocidal campaign in Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli regime has openly pursued a policy of forced displacement, aiming to expel the territory's entire population. To date, the assault has killed 61,020 Palestinians and wounded 150,671, with women and children comprising the majority of casualties.

Source: Press TV