Joe Federman, news director for Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan, and AP diplomatic writer Matthew Lee had been preparing for developments in President Donald Trump’s postwar Gaza plan ever since Trump began discussing the potential relocation of Palestinians.
When Lee received an initial tip about African countries being considered, he and Federman moved quickly. Federman confirmed the names of the countries, and the two continued pressing their sources for additional confirmation and details over the next two weeks.
Cairo-based reporter Samy Magdy played a critical role, confirming with Sudanese sources that outreach from U.S. or Israeli officials had occurred.
The team ultimately reported that Sudan, Somalia, and the breakaway region of Somaliland had all been approached as possible relocation destinations. Their report also included reaction from each location, as well as internal political and humanitarian challenges that called into question the feasibility of what Trump referred to as resettling Palestinians in a “beautiful area.”
Correspondent Sam Mednick contributed further verification, and Nairobi-based reporter Evelyne Musambi added essential background, context and analysis.
Judges praised the team’s deep sourcing and the coordination across regions that led to a major international scoop.
For their exclusive report that helped set the global agenda on this closely watched issue—and for showcasing AP’s cross-regional strength—Joe Federman and Matthew Lee win this week’s Best of AP — Second Winner.
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