President Donald Trump has proposed that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from Gaza.
He mentioned that he had already made the request to Jordan’s King Abdullah and planned to ask Egypt’s president on Sunday.
Describing Gaza as a “demolition site,” Trump said, “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.” He added that the move “could be temporary” or “could be long-term.”
Hamas has vowed to oppose any such action, and the comments are likely to outrage Palestinians in Gaza, for whom it is their home. Jordan’s foreign minister stated that the kingdom was “firm and unwavering” in its rejection of displacing Palestinians.
A ceasefire is currently being observed in Gaza following a deal between Israel and Hamas to halt the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken back to Gaza as hostages.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians, have been killed in Israel’s offensive. Most of Gaza’s two million residents have been displaced in the past 15 months of the war, which has devastated much of Gaza’s infrastructure.
The United Nations has previously estimated that 60% of structures across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and it could take decades to rebuild.
