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 concerns of ethnic cleansing.
Trump on Saturday informed reporters that it was time to “clear out” the besieged Gaza Strip, urging the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to absorb Palestinians from Gaza, both quickly or completely.
The proposal was roundly rejected by Palestinians on Sunday, with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) saying the proposal would violate its “purple traces”, whereas Gaza residents insisted they might stay within the coastal enclave.
“It’s not possible for folks to simply 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 thought of us leaving our nation … it’s completely not possible.”
Elham al-Shabli additionally rejected the concept. “If we wished to depart, we might have performed that a very long time in the past. The genocidal conflict they’re waging will obtain nothing in opposition to the Palestinians and we are going to stay regardless of what occurs,” she stated.
The PA stated in a press release that the plan “constitutes a blatant violation of the purple traces now we have constantly warned in opposition to”.
“We emphasise that the Palestinian folks won’t ever abandon their land or their holy websites, and we is not going to permit the repetition of the catastrophes (Nakba) of 1948 and 1967. Our folks will stay steadfast and won’t go away their homeland,” it stated.
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 the direction of the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Hamas, the Palestinian group that governs Gaza, stated the US administration should abandon such proposals that align with Israeli “schemes” and battle with the rights of the Palestinian folks, 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, known as Trump’s feedback an encouragement of “conflict crimes”.
Jordan’s International Minister Ayman Safadi stated the nation’s “rejection of displacement is mounted 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 stated 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 per week after a truce deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took impact, with two rounds of captives-for-prisoners exchanges accomplished.
However 1000’s 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 stated 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 underneath the truce deal, civilian captives have been to be freed earlier than troopers.
The PIJ informed Al Jazeera on Sunday that Yehud will likely be launched earlier than Saturday in change for 30 Palestinian prisoners.
PIJ Deputy Secretary-Basic Mohammed al-Hindi additionally stated his group is “ready for a sensible response” from the mediators on how Palestinians will likely 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, stated there have been “no tents” to offer shelter for the displaced folks.
“There is no such thing as a 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 might be capable to cross into the northern a part of the Strip, as agreed,” he stated.
“However it seems to be like they’ll must sleep right here once more tonight.”
