President Donald Trump has stated that Palestinians have “no alternative” but to leave Gaza due to the destruction caused by Israel’s war against Hamas, effectively endorsing the idea of relocating Gaza’s population despite strong opposition from Palestinians and neighboring countries.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump reiterated his suggestion that Palestinians should be resettled in Jordan and Egypt—an idea both nations have firmly rejected.
Trump claimed that many Palestinians would “love to leave Gaza,” telling reporters: “I would think that they would be thrilled.”
He described Gaza as a “pure demolition site” after months of war and questioned why anyone would want to return.
“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza. Gaza is not a place for people to be living,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
“If they had an alternative, they’d much rather not go back to Gaza and live in a beautiful alternative that’s safe.”
He proposed finding “the right piece of land” where displaced Palestinians could be resettled, suggesting that such locations could be in Jordan, Egypt, or even other areas.
“You’d have people living in a place that could be very beautiful, and safe and nice. Gaza’s been a disaster for decades,” he said.
When asked about the reaction of Palestinian and Arab leaders to his proposal, Trump responded: “I don’t know how they could want to stay.”
Sitting alongside Netanyahu, he was also questioned about whether displaced Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza after reconstruction.
He replied: “It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn’t want to return. Why would they want to return?”
