U.S. President, Donald Trump proposed a controversial plan on Saturday to “clean out” Gaza and relocate its population to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, as part of an effort to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump referred to Gaza as a “demolition site” in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war, which began on October 7, 2023. He claimed to have discussed the idea with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and planned further talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
“I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people,” Trump said, suggesting that approximately 1.5 million Palestinians could be relocated. “Over the centuries, it’s had many, many conflicts on that site. Something has to happen.”
Trump floated the idea as either a temporary or permanent solution, suggesting the possibility of building new housing in a different location. “It’s literally a demolition site right now, almost everything is destroyed, and people are dying there,” he said. “Maybe they can live in peace for a change.”
The ongoing war has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents, many of whom have been forced to relocate multiple times. Palestinians have voiced fears that any relocation effort could evoke painful memories of the 1948 Nakba, or “catastrophe,” when mass displacement occurred during Israel’s creation.
Trump also confirmed his administration had approved the release of a shipment of 2,000-lb bombs for Israel, previously blocked under former President Joe Biden. “They paid for them, and they’ve been waiting for them for a long time,” he said.
During his presidential campaign, Trump had described Gaza as having the potential to be “better than Monaco” if rebuilt properly. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, previously suggested that Gaza’s civilian population could be relocated to unlock its “waterfront property potential.”
Palestinian officials and much of the Arab world have condemned such proposals as violations of their rights and sovereignty. For Palestinians, forced relocation would represent another chapter of displacement, while Israel has denied plans to forcibly move Gaza’s population.
However, some far-right members of Israel’s government have openly supported the idea of Palestinians leaving Gaza en masse, adding fuel to the contentious debate.
