South Sudan and Israel are discussing a deal to resettle Palestinians from conflict-battered Gaza in the troubled African nation, three sources told Reuters — a plan quickly dismissed as unacceptable by Palestinian leaders.

The sources, who have knowledge of the matter but spoke on condition of anonymity, said no agreement had been reached, but talks between South Sudan and Israel were ongoing.

The plan, if carried further, would envisage people moving from an enclave shattered by almost two years of an onslaught by Israel to a nation in the heart of Africa riven by years of political and ethnically-driven violence.

The three sources said the prospect of resettling Palestinians in South Sudan was raised during meetings between Israeli officials and South Sudanese Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba when he visited the country last month.