South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said on Wednesday it is not in discussions with Israel about relocating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the East African nation. In a written statement, the ministry called recent media reports on the matter “baseless” and said they “do not reflect the official position or policy” of Juba. The denial follows an earlier report by Israel’s Channel 12 that South Sudan’s deputy foreign minister was visiting Israel amid talks to absorb Gaza residents. The Associated Press had also cited unnamed officials who claimed Israel had approached several countries, including South Sudan, about accepting Palestinians as part of a broader plan to encourage what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls the “voluntary migration” of Gazans. South Sudan urged news outlets to verify information through official channels before publication. The country, which is still recovering from civil conflict and hosts sizeable refugee populations from neighbouring states, said no discussions on Gaza resettlement have taken place with Israeli officials.