Israel's intelligence agency Mossad chief David Barnea has reportedly sought U.S. cooperation regarding a plan to transfer the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media reports.

Barnea traveled to Washington this week to discuss Israel’s plan with U.S. officials. He requested that the U.S. encourage other countries to agree to accept the thousands of Palestinians who would be relocated from Gaza.

Israel claims the transfer would be “voluntary,” but human rights organizations and UN experts have strongly condemned the plan as “ethnic cleansing” and a “war crime.”

Barnea told U.S. diplomat Steve Witkoff that Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Libya are in talks to participate in the relocation plan and have been identified as potential host countries for the displaced Palestinians. He asked the U.S. to motivate and assist these countries in agreeing to the plan.

However, the U.S. side reportedly made no commitments during the meeting.

Earlier in February, then-U.S. President Donald Trump announced a controversial plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza, proposing U.S. military presence and economic development in the area. That plan stalled due to strong opposition from the Arab world and waning interest among U.S. officials.

Israeli authorities have said the U.S. administration made it clear that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to move forward, Israel must find countries willing to accept Palestinians from Gaza.

Last week, during a meeting between Netanyahu and Trump, when asked by a journalist, Netanyahu stated that Israel is in the process of finding several such countries.

Amid these developments, tensions and controversy continue to rise over the plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.