Trump says he wants Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza

Donald Trump, the former U.S. president, stated that he wants Egypt and Jordan to accept Palestinians from Gaza. He mentioned that he had already asked King Abdullah of Jordan and planned to request the same from Egypt's president. Trump described Gaza as a "demolition site" and suggested relocating around one and a half million people, though he noted that the move could be either temporary or long-term.

Hamas has expressed strong opposition to such a plan, and the proposal is expected to provoke anger among Palestinians in Gaza, as the region is their home. Jordan's foreign minister has firmly rejected the idea of displacing Palestinians.

The ongoing conflict with Israel has already left many of Gaza's two million residents displaced, with much of the area’s infrastructure in ruins.

The United Nations has reported that approximately 60% of structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, with the rebuilding process potentially taking decades.

In a statement during a flight on Air Force One, former US President Donald Trump commented on the devastation in Gaza, noting that "almost everything is demolished" and that many people are dying. He suggested collaborating with Arab nations to build housing in a different location, where people could possibly live in peace. However, Trump did not provide additional details on this proposal, and it was not included in the White House’s official statement of the call.

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau, responded to Trump’s comments, emphasizing that Palestinians in Gaza would reject any offers or solutions that involved displacement. He stated that the Palestinian people would not accept proposals for an "alternative homeland," citing their long-standing resistance to such plans over the decades.

Abu Yahya Rashid, a displaced Palestinian from Khan Younis, expressed similar sentiments, declaring that Palestinians would not leave their land except in death, reaffirming their deep connection to the land and their right to decide their own fate.

The US has historically supported the creation of a Palestinian state, with Gaza as a central part of that vision. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects this notion. In contrast, the US has stated opposition to any forcible displacement of Palestinians, with former Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserting that Palestinians "must not be pressed to leave Gaza."

Over two million Palestinian refugees live in Jordan, most of whom have been granted citizenship. They are descendants of those who fled or were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Thousands of Palestinians have also sought refuge in Egypt, though they are not recognized as refugees there.

In October 2023, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula, reaffirming that an independent Palestinian state is the only viable solution.