Trump says Palestinians in Gaza have no right of return under his plan

“We’ll build safe communities, a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is,” Trump said. “In the meantime, I would own this. Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It would be a beautiful piece of land. No big money spent.”

ALSO READ: Israel proposes plan to allow Gazans to leave — seeks global supportTrump’s comments come just a day before he is set to host Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House, further straining diplomatic ties with Arab states. Egypt and Jordan, while longstanding US allies, have privately expressed security concerns over accepting large numbers of Palestinian refugees, even on a temporary basis.
His remarks also risk disrupting the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than a year of war. Current negotiations for post-war Gaza focus on humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts, but Trump’s plan introduces a major shift that could complicate those discussions.Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had attempted to downplay Trump’s initial remarks, claiming he only sought a temporary relocation to facilitate debris removal, ordnance disposal and rebuilding efforts. However, Trump’s latest statements suggest a more permanent displacement.

Despite floating the possibility of US troops being deployed to secure Gaza, Trump has made clear that no American funds would be allocated for its reconstruction, leaving unanswered questions about the feasibility of his plan.

Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed the unified Arab stance against any forced transfer of Palestinians. “There is Arab consensus on rejecting the relocation of Palestinians,” he stated, emphasising the need for a political resolution leading to an independent Palestinian state.

Hamas has also fiercely rejected Trump’s proposal. Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq dismissed the idea of US ownership of Gaza as “absurd,” accusing Trump of treating the Palestinian cause like a real estate transaction.

“Dealing with the Palestinian cause with the mentality of a real estate dealer is a recipe for failure,” he said. “Our Palestinian people will thwart all transfer and deportation plans.”

With inputs from AP