President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested relocating Gaza’s residents to Egypt and Jordan as part of a broader strategy to achieve peace in the Middle East.
Describing Gaza as a “demolition site” following the Israel-Hamas war, Trump revealed plans to engage with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the relocation of approximately 1.5 million Palestinians.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people.
We just clean out that whole thing. Over the centuries, there have been many conflicts on that site. Something has to happen.”
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.
Trump stated that the relocation could either be temporary or permanent, emphasizing the need for Arab nations to help create new housing for displaced Palestinians.
“It’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything is destroyed, and people are dying,” Trump added.
“I’d rather work with Arab nations to build housing in a new location where they can live in peace.”
Trump’s Support for Israel and Controversy Over Gaza
Trump confirmed he had ordered the release of a shipment of 2,000-lb bombs for Israel, which had been delayed by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
“They paid for them, and they’ve been waiting for them for a long time,” Trump remarked.
While some Israeli officials and extreme-right groups have supported the idea of relocating Gaza residents, Palestinians view such moves as reminiscent of the “Nakba” (catastrophe) of 1948, which saw mass displacement during Israel’s creation.
Although Israel has officially denied any plans to forcibly remove Gazans, Trump’s comments and those of his son-in-law Jared Kushner—who previously suggested Gaza could become “better than Monaco” if rebuilt—have sparked significant debate.
The UN estimates that the reconstruction of Gaza, which has been left in ruins by Israel’s retaliatory strikes, will take many years.
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