Uruguay’s government is considering whether to welcome refugees from Gaza, Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkinconfirmed on September 9. Acknowledging the desperate pleas from families seeking to flee the enclave, Lubetkin stressed that any plan would depend on multiple actors, including Israel and the Red Cross, making the process highly complex.

“We are not messing around. This is not a joke,” Lubetkin said, underscoring the seriousness of the issue. He explained that the government is working to evaluate the real conditions before making commitments: “If we promise something, we have to fulfill it.”

This is not the first time Uruguay has floated the idea of hosting Palestinians. Earlier this year, the government spoke of facilitating the arrival of young Palestinians from the West Bank to work in the agricultural sector, though the plan has yet to be implemented. Uruguay has precedent in refugee resettlement, most notably in 2014 when it welcomed 120 Syrian refugees displaced by civil war, providing housing, healthcare, education, and language classes.

But the latest consideration comes amid fierce criticism from activists. Jews Against the Genocide in Palestine, a Uruguayan group, argues that the government has failed to condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza. Member Alejandro Joryszaccused officials of legitimizing the forced displacement of Palestinians by focusing on refugee resettlement instead of denouncing the violence.

The group has gathered over 300 signatures for a petition rejecting what it calls the “genocidal policy” of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The petition will be presented to the Presidential Office on September 25, urging Uruguay to sever diplomatic, commercial, and military ties with Israel.

The debate highlights Uruguay’s balancing act between its humanitarian tradition and its diplomatic relations with Israel—leaving the question of whether Gaza’s refugees will find a future home in Uruguay still uncertain.