Trump’s Crazy Idea: ‘Clean Out’ Gaza, Relocate Refugees to Egypt and Jordan

gaza strip

By Don Terry & Ben Emos | Sunday, January 26, 2025 | 4 min read

President Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy with his comments regarding the Gaza conflict, proposing what he describes as a plan to “clean out” the Gaza Strip and relocate Palestinian refugees to neighboring Egypt and Jordan. The suggestion, however, has been met with widespread rejection from Arab nations, while raising serious questions about the humanitarian, political, and logistical implications of such a move.

In remarks made aboard Air Force One, Trump revealed that he spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan to request the country take in displaced Palestinians. He also indicated plans to make a similar appeal to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. “You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said, adding, “It’s had many, many conflicts over the centuries. Something has to happen.”

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Trump’s remarks and recent decisions mark a departure from the Biden administration’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A day prior, Trump announced that his administration had released a hold on 2,000-pound bombs that President Biden had withheld due to concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza. Trump’s administration also lifted sanctions imposed by Biden on Israeli settler groups operating in the West Bank.

These moves have been criticized by many as disregarding the immense humanitarian toll of the conflict. More than 47,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since hostilities resumed in October 2023, with countless others displaced from their homes. Trump’s suggestion to relocate Gaza’s population has exacerbated tensions in the region, as both Jordan and Egypt have consistently rejected calls to resettle Palestinian refugees within their borders.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has been vocal in opposing such proposals. “No refugees in Jordan, no refugees in Egypt,” he told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in October 2023. Jordan already hosts a significant Palestinian population, including over 2.4 million refugees registered with the United Nations, and fears that accepting more refugees would destabilize the country’s demographics and security.

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Egypt has similarly rejected the idea, with leaders insisting that Gaza’s residents must remain within the enclave. The displacement of Palestinians has long been a politically sensitive issue. Many fear that leaving Gaza would mean permanent exile, with no guarantee of returning to their homes—a fate that echoes the plight of millions of Palestinian refugees since the founding of Israel in 1948.

The conflict has left much of Gaza in ruins. Over two million residents have been displaced, many now living in dire conditions in makeshift camps. Trump’s suggestion of resettling them in other countries, even temporarily, has been condemned by Palestinian groups, including Hamas, which categorically rejected the idea.

“We call on the U.S. administration to halt such proposals, which align with Israeli plans and clash with the rights and free will of our people,” Hamas said in a statement.

Critics argue that Trump’s remarks reflect a lack of understanding of the complex dynamics in the region, as well as the deep historical and political grievances tied to the Palestinian cause. While Israeli officials have praised the proposal as a “solution,” Arab leaders and organizations warn that forced displacement would only exacerbate tensions and prolong the conflict.

The proposal comes amid ongoing turmoil in the region. In addition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, tensions remain high along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where clashes between the Israeli military and Hezbollah fighters have left dozens dead and injured.

Trump’s latest remarks have drawn sharp criticism not only from Arab leaders but also from human rights organizations, who view the proposal as both impractical and inhumane. As the conflict in Gaza rages on, the international community remains deeply divided on how to address the worsening crisis.

While Trump’s plan to “clean out” Gaza might resonate with some of his supporters, its rejection by Arab nations and the broader international outcry highlight just how fraught and polarizing such a proposal is in an already volatile region.

Copyright 2024 FN, NewsRoom.

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