Palestinians have roundly condemned United States President Donald Trump’s proposal for them to be displaced from the Gaza Strip and despatched to Egypt and Jordan – a suggestion that has raised considerations of ethnic cleaning.
Trump on Saturday informed reporters that it was time to “clear out” the besieged Gaza Strip, urging the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to soak up Palestinians from Gaza, both briefly or completely.
The proposal was roundly rejected by Palestinians on Sunday, with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) saying the proposal would violate its “pink traces”, whereas Gaza residents insisted they’d stay within the coastal enclave.
“It’s inconceivable for individuals to just accept this,” Palestinian citizen Nafiz Halawa informed Al Jazeera from Nuseirat in central Gaza. “The weak may go away due to the struggling they’ve endured, however the concept of us leaving our nation … it’s completely inconceivable.”
Elham al-Shabli additionally rejected the concept. “If we wished to go away, we’d have achieved that a very long time in the past. The genocidal conflict they’re waging will obtain nothing towards the Palestinians and we are going to stay regardless of what occurs,” she mentioned.
The PA mentioned in an announcement that the plan “constitutes a blatant violation of the pink traces we’ve got constantly warned towards”.
“We emphasise that the Palestinian individuals won’t ever abandon their land or their holy websites, and we won’t enable the repetition of the catastrophes (Nakba) of 1948 and 1967. Our individuals will stay steadfast and won’t go away their homeland,” it mentioned.
It urged Trump to maintain the Gaza ceasefire settlement, guarantee full withdrawal of Israeli forces, set up the PA because the governing physique within the enclave, and advance efforts in direction of the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Hamas, the Palestinian group that governs Gaza, mentioned the US administration should abandon such proposals that align with Israeli “schemes” and battle with the rights of the Palestinian individuals, who’ve already been resisting “essentially the most heinous acts of genocide” and displacement since Israel launched its conflict on Gaza in October 2023.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which has been combating alongside Hamas in Gaza for over 15 months, referred to as Trump’s feedback an encouragement of “conflict crimes”.
Jordan’s International Minister Ayman Safadi mentioned the nation’s “rejection of displacement is fastened and unchangeable” and that Amman will look ahead to working with the Trump administration in advancing efforts towards recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Trump’s feedback additionally appeared to catch senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who mentioned throughout an interview with US outlet CNN that he doesn’t view the concept “as being overly sensible” and believes that Arab nations within the area would reject it.
Israel prevents return to northern Gaza
Trump’s feedback come every week after a truce deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took impact, with two rounds of captives-for-prisoners exchanges accomplished.
However hundreds of Palestinians waited at roadblocks on Sunday to return to their houses in northern Gaza as Israel refused to open crossing factors after it accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire settlement.
Israel mentioned it might open the crossing factors after Israeli civilian captive Arbel Yehud, who’s held by the PIJ in Gaza, is launched. It says that beneath the truce deal, civilian captives have been to be freed earlier than troopers.
The PIJ informed Al Jazeera on Sunday that Yehud shall be launched earlier than Saturday in change for 30 Palestinian prisoners.
PIJ Deputy Secretary-Normal Mohammed al-Hindi additionally mentioned his group is “ready for a sensible response” from the mediators on how Palestinians shall be allowed to return to their houses in north Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from a crossing level on Gaza’s al-Rasheed Avenue, mentioned there have been “no tents” to offer shelter for the displaced individuals.
“There isn’t any place for them right here; there are not any tents. Most individuals are staying right here as a result of they dismantled their tents, as they thought after the 4 Israeli captives have been launched, they’d have the ability to cross into the northern a part of the Strip, as agreed,” he mentioned.
“Nevertheless it appears like they’ll need to sleep right here once more tonight.”
