Trump reiterates intention to forcibly displace Palestinians to Egypt saying ‘US will own Gaza’

United States President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that “the US will take over the Gaza Strip,” after reiterating his plan for the displacement of Palestinians from the enclave to Egypt and Jordan. 

Trump doubled down on his threat to expel Palestinians out of Gaza at a press conference in Washington, DC, where he shared the podium with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first foreign official to be hosted at the White House since Trump’s second inauguration.

Netanyahu’s US visit comes as a fragile ceasefire takes hold in the enclave, which saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians march back to their homes in northern Gaza following their displacement by 15 months of incessant Israeli strikes.

Their return marks the first time many have been able to search for missing family members and lost belongings since the war began. 

Speaking to Reuters, Hamas Official Sami Abu Zuhri described Trump’s comments regarding US control of the Gaza Strip as “ridiculous and absurd,” adding that such ideas could “ignite” the Middle East.

Yet Trump painted his proposal to create the “Riviera of the Middle East” as a boon to Palestinians.

“Look, the Gaza thing has not worked, it never worked,” the US president told reporters at the White House. Later, at a presser with Netanyahu, he stated that staying in Gaza would be a “guarantee that they’re gonna end up dying.” 

“It’s happened over and over again, and it’s gonna happen again,” he added, suggesting Israel could resume its assault on Gaza which killed over 47,000 Palestinians.

During his presser with the Israeli prime minister, who looked visibly pleased, Trump stated that “something can be done” where Palestinians in Gaza “wouldn’t wanna go back,” adding that they have experienced “nothing but death and destruction.”

Netanyahu, meanwhile, described his US visit as exceeding “all our expectations and dreams,” adding that Trump is taking the Israeli war goals to “a much higher level” and that the US president’s plans for the Gaza Strip “could change history.” 

Trump has previously proposed the idea of displacing Palestinians in Gaza to other countries, arguing that the strip has become a “demolition site.” 

However, both Egypt and Jordan have refused Trump’s suggestion to “take” the Palestinians.

Before the presser, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II had reaffirmed their stance against the forcible displacement of Palestinians out of Gaza  in a phone call on Tuesday morning.

During the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbuly again reiterated Egypt’s position in favor of Palestinians’ right to their own land and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. 

But Trump held the line.

Answering reporters’ questions on Tuesday evening about whether his suggestion would amount to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, Trump repeated his intention for Egypt and Jordan to receive them.

“I think if they had the opportunity they’d love it,” Trump said. "If we can get a good area to resettle people permanently in nice homes, where they can be happy and not be shot, not be killed, not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza,” the US president added.

Trump stated that “massive amounts of money” for displacement could be supplied by other rich nations.

Trump also claimed during the presser with Netenyahu that Saudi Arabia would provide help with his proposal, claiming Riyadh was not keen on Palestinians having their own state.

Amid talks with the US about a potential normalization of diplomatic ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia has previously conditioned the step on the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.

Shortly after Trump’s comments, the Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement saying it would not normalize ties with Israel unless a two-state solution is reached.

According to the statement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud both confirmed their position in a “clear and explicit manner” that does not allow for “any interpretations under any circumstances.” 

Trump’s recent comments have been embraced by Israeli politicians and military figures amid resounding rejections by Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and others who argue it would amount to ethnic cleansing. 

A tentative halt to hostilities has been in effect in Gaza for less than three weeks, with negotiations for the truce to reach a full and permanent ceasefire agreement on hold after Netanyahu postponed scheduled talks until after his DC visit.

The truce, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US, has brought a comparative calm to the strip, and has seen the implementation of the first stages of a prisoner exchange that secured releases of over 300 Palestinian captives held by Israel and 33 Israeli captives who were held in the strip by Hamas. 

Aid deliveries have also increased marginally and the Rafah border crossing has been reopened for the first time since Israel occupied the site in May, although humanitarian organizations say the supplies reaching Palestinians in the strip fall far below the needed quantities. 

Palestinians in need of urgent medical care have also been permitted to leave Gaza for treatment.

Over 5,000 Palestinians were able to travel to Egypt in the early months of the war.