The Qatari ‘Middle East Eye’ website revealed in an exclusive report that a senior official in Libya’s internationally recognised government has held talks with Israeli officials over a proposal to resettle hundreds of thousands of Palestinians expelled from the Gaza Strip.
According to the website, citing multiple Libyan, Arab, and European sources, Libyan National Security Adviser Ibrahim Dbeibah, a relative of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, has been quietly spearheading the talks. The sources indicated that these discussions are part of a deal that would see the United States release some $30bn in frozen Libyan assets.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that these talks are taking place despite Palestinians in Gaza flatly rejecting US President Donald Trump’s postwar plan for the enclave.
A Libyan source told the website that “practical talks” had already taken place, but the specifics and implementation mechanisms have not yet been spoken about. Another Libyan source said that discussions were still ongoing.
The source noted that in an attempt to placate some Libyan leaders, the US was prepared to confer economic support or other benefits in exchange for the country taking in Palestinians. The source added that Ibrahim Dbeibah had already received guarantees that the US Department of Treasury would release some $30bn in frozen state assets, which were frozen in early 2011 by former US President Barack Obama.
Middle East Eye had previously reported in May that Massad Boulos, an adviser to Trump and father-in-law to his daughter Tiffany, had held discussions with Ibrahim Dbeibah about unlocking billions of dollars in sanctioned frozen wealth funds.
However, Boulos flatly denied any involvement in talks over the resettlement of Palestinians, telling the website that the reports were “inflammatory and totally false”.
This revelation comes in the context of a similar precedent that sparked widespread controversy in 2023, when then-Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush secretly met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Italy. The disclosure of the meeting led to outrage in Libya, angry protests, and resulted in her suspension.
Mangoush later claimed in a television interview that she had attended the meeting on direct orders from Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and that it was coordinated between his government and Israel. The Arabic Post later reported, citing unnamed sources, that Ibrahim Dbeibah had orchestrated that meeting.
Middle East Eye stated that it reached out to the prime minister’s office and the Government of National Unity (GNU) for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.