
Palestinians inspect the ruins of Aklouk Tower destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8, 2023. The death toll from the devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has risen to 313 since early yesterday morning, with more than 1,990 others injured, according to medical sources. Photo by Naaman Omar apaimages
President Donald Trump of the United States has expressed his desire for Egypt and Jordan to accept Palestinians from Gaza. He indicated that he had already made this request to King Abdullah of Jordan and intended to approach the President of Egypt on Sunday. Referring to Gaza as a “demolition site,” Trump commented, “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just cleaned out that whole thing.” He further noted that this relocation could be either a temporary measure or a long-term solution.
The remarks are expected to provoke strong reactions among Palestinians in Gaza, who consider it their homeland. Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have denounced the proposal.
The foreign minister of Jordan stated that the kingdom remains “firm and unwavering” in its opposition to the displacement of Palestinians. A ceasefire is currently in effect in Gaza following an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict that erupted after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Approximately 1,200 individuals lost their lives, and 251 were taken back to Gaza as hostages. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 47,200 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, have died as a result of Israel’s military actions. In the last 15 months of conflict, most of Gaza’s two million inhabitants have been displaced, leading to significant destruction of the region’s infrastructure. The United Nations has previously estimated that 60% of buildings in Gaza have been either damaged or completely destroyed, with reconstruction potentially taking decades.
During a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed his views, stating,
“Nearly everything has been destroyed, and lives are being lost there. Therefore, I would prefer to engage with certain Arab nations to construct housing in an alternative location where they might experience peace for a change.” He did not elaborate on the specifics of this proposal, and the topic was not mentioned in the official summary provided by the White House following the call.
Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, stated to the BBC that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have endured significant loss and devastation for 15 months without abandoning their homeland. as a result, they will not entertain any proposals or solutions, regardless of how benevolent they may seem under the guidance of reconstruction, as suggested by US President Trump’s initiatives. He emphasized that, similar to their historical resistance against plans for displacement and alternative homelands, they will also reject such efforts.
In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas firmly announced any initiatives aimed at displacing the population of the Gaza Strip. In response to Trump’s remarks, Abu Yahya Rashid, a displaced individual from Khan Younis, asserted, “We are the architects of our destiny and the custodians of our land, which has been integral to our ancestors for generations. We will only depart from it in death.”
The longstanding US foreign policy has aimed at establishing a Palestinian state, with Gaza being an integral component, a stance that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes. Donald Trump has a history of making offhand remarks and proposing ideas that often do not materialize.
The United States stands as the largest provider of military equipment to Israel, significantly contributing to the development of one of the most advanced military forces globally. However, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has sparked renewed demands for the United States to reconsider or halt its arms transfers to Israel, given the extensive devastation attributed to American-made weaponry in the region.