Palestinian militant group Hamas has rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal that a large number of Palestinians should leave Gaza to “just clean out” the entire strip. Arab countries including Egypt and Jordan have also rebuffed such a proposal by Trump which comes right after the ceasefire.
The US President has said he would like hundreds of thousands of people to move to neighbouring countries, either “temporarily or could be long-term”.
Asked whether this was a temporary or long-term solution for Gaza, Trump said: “Could be either.”
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has repeatedly called for the return of Jewish settlers in Gaza, lauded Trump’s idea as “excellent” and said he would work to develop a plan to implement it. However, such notions have been repeatedly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Palestinians “will not accept any offers or solutions, even if (such offers) appear to have good intentions under the guise of reconstruction, as announced in the proposals of U.S. President Trump,” Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau told Reuters.
Another Hamas official urged Trump not to repeat the “failed” idea tried by his predecessor Joe Biden.
“The people of Gaza have endured death and refused to leave their homeland and they will not leave it regardless of any other reasons,” Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
Jordan also reiterated its “firm and unwavering” stance against any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Egypt’s foreign ministry echoed the same, saying it categorically rejects any displacement of Palestinians from their land, be it “short term or long term”.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, Cairo has repeatedly warned against the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and reinforced its border.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also condemned Trump’s proposal. “Our people will remain steadfast and will not leave their homeland,” said a statement published by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Officials from Qatar, who mediated the ceasefire in Gaza described “any plan that would end with relocation or reoccupation” as a red line.
