President Donald Trump says Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza

President Donald Trump made headlines when he insisted that no one would be “expelled” from Gaza, despite his controversial plan to rebuild the war-torn strip. During a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House, Trump adamantly stated, “Nobody’s expelling any Palestinians.” This statement was met with approval from Egypt, which had been leading negotiations on an Arab-led plan to rebuild Gaza.

In February, Trump had proposed that the U.S. “take over” Gaza and be responsible for dismantling dangerous weapons and bombs in the area. He had suggested that the population of about 2 million Palestinians in Gaza would be “permanently” relocated to a new, safe location with access to essential services like healthcare. However, finding a host country willing to accept Palestinian refugees proved to be a challenge.

Despite facing pushback from Egyptian and Jordanian leaders on his vision for a Gaza without Palestinians, Trump clarified that he would not use force to implement his plan. He emphasized that his proposal was just a recommendation and not something he would enforce. Arab leaders recently agreed on a $53 million Egyptian-led reconstruction plan for Gaza, but the White House rejected it, citing the current uninhabitable conditions in Gaza.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s plan as a “revolutionary, creative vision,” Hamas also welcomed Trump’s assurance that Palestinians would not be expelled. A Hamas spokesperson expressed appreciation for any statements indicating a reversal of the displacement of Gaza residents and called for the Israeli occupation to fulfill ceasefire agreements.

The White House envoy, Steve Witkoff, is currently in Qatar engaging in intensive talks on the next phase of the ceasefire agreement. Israel is seeking a two-month pause in hostilities in exchange for the release of about half of the remaining living hostages, while Hamas is pushing for a complete cessation of hostilities.

Overall, Trump’s stance on not expelling Palestinians from Gaza has been met with mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a positive development in the effort to rebuild the war-torn region. The situation remains complex, with various stakeholders involved in negotiations and discussions on the future of Gaza.