Eurasia Press & News
They’re there because they have no alternative,” Trump told reporters. “What do they have? It is a big pile of rubble.” These words came from US President Donald Trump as he once again pushed for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. His comments suggested that Palestinians should leave their homes in search of better living conditions elsewhere, calling Gaza an uninhabitable “pure demolition site” that is “unsafe” and “unsanitary.”
Trump’s call for the mass expulsion of Gaza’s population was framed as a humanitarian solution. He suggested that the people of Gaza should be “relocated” to a “fresh, beautiful piece of land,” with financial backing from various sources to rebuild it. In his vision, Gaza’s residents would be happier elsewhere, claiming that, “If they had the opportunity, they’d love it.”
Trump went further, calling on neighboring Arab countries, particularly Egypt and Jordan, to accept the Palestinians. “I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people,” he said, alluding to a mass relocation of the Gaza population.
How did Gazans React?
In response to these calls, Palestinians in Gaza have expressed strong condemnation. Alaa Shaath, a Gaza resident, vehemently rejected the idea, declaring, “Our blood will not be wasted, and our homes that have been crushed will not be lost.” He insisted that Gaza belongs to the people of Gaza, and only they should rebuild it. “This land is for the Gazans, and only the Gazans will rebuild it.”
Adham Abu Salmiya, a researcher, recalled a past headline from 1970, when the Jordanian newspaper “Al-Dustour” reported on the beginning of the expulsion of Gaza’s population. Back then, Gaza had a population of 200,000. Today, it is home to nearly 2.5 million Palestinians. Abu Salmiya added, “From Golda Meir to Sharon to Trump… you have all failed and will continue to fail. Gaza will remain, fighting and winning.”
Baraa said: “My grandfather returned to the family home of my great-grandfather in Shujaiya and settled my uncles, who have grandchildren and great-grandchildren, each one of them in a room. I spoke to them this afternoon, and they were happy, drinking tea. Stop your nonsense, Trump, because they are telling you they will never think of leaving Gaza.
Human rights advocate Rami Abdu, who is also from Gaza, sharply criticized Trump’s view. “Trump talks about Palestinians in Gaza as if they are nomadic tribes, ignoring that they are the original owners of the land, deeply rooted in it for centuries,” Abdu said. He condemned Trump for being ignorant of Palestinian history and resilience, emphasizing that the people of Gaza will remain steadfast, while Trump will eventually fade into the history books.
Ahmed Barood, a Gaza resident, questioned Trump’s supposed concern for Palestinians’ well-being, noting the contradiction of previous US actions. “How was it ‘humane’ to force us to live under bombing, hunger, and cold for 15 months?” Barood asked. “They did not care about us during those months, but now they are suddenly concerned over non-explosive rockets.”
Mohammed Abu Salah, another Gaza resident, emphasized that the situation in Gaza is far from normal. “Gaza is in a humanitarian catastrophe,” he said. “Gaza is drowning in rubble in the literal sense, and Trump is blocking real aid from reaching us.”
Some residents dismissed Trump’s statements with defiance. “Why does the world think that life in Gaza is fine and that people are living normally?” questioned Nawras Atta. “Gaza is devastated, and Trump is preventing real aid from entering. The catastrophe continues.”
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas remarked after Trump’s remarks:
“We will not allow infringement on the rights of our people for which we have struggled for decades and made immense sacrifices to achieve. These calls represent a serious violation of international law, and peace and stability in the region will not be achieved without the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on the borders of June 4, 1967, based on the two-state solution.”Hamas Reacts to Trump’s Statement
⭕️ “We strongly condemn and reject the statements of U.S. President Trump aimed at the occupation of the Gaza Strip by the United States and the displacement of our Palestinian people from it.”
⭕️ “These remarks are hostile to our people and our cause, will not serve stability in the region, and will only add fuel to the fire. We will not allow any country in the world to occupy our land or impose guardianship over our great Palestinian people.”
⭕️ “We call on the U.S. administration and President Trump to retract these irresponsible remarks, which contradict international laws and the natural rights of our Palestinian people in their land.”
⭕️ “We call on the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations to convene urgently to address these dangerous remarks and to take a firm and historic stance that preserves the national rights of our Palestinian people, their right to self-determination, and the establishment of their Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
In an even stronger rejection, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem called Trump’s comments racist and a direct attack on Palestinian rights. “Instead of holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes, Trump rewards it,” Qassem stated. “The true goal of the occupation is to expel the Palestinian people from Gaza, but we will resist this plan. The resistance will continue until Palestinians achieve freedom and independence.”
Another Hamas leader, Izzat Al-Rishq, described Trump’s remarks as a blatant attempt to erase the Palestinian cause. “We reject Trump’s statements, which aim to expel Palestinians under the pretext of reconstruction,” Al-Rishq said. “Gaza has withstood for over fifteen months under siege and bombardment, and we will not accept any plans to uproot us from our land.”
Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, also responded, stating, “We refuse Trump’s plan to force the people of Gaza out. His comments are a recipe for chaos and tension in the region. The Palestinian people will not accept any plans to expel them from their land. What we need is an end to the occupation, not our displacement.”
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine responded to Trump’s remarks on the displacement of Palestinians:
⭕️ “We strongly condemn the dangerous statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he adopts plans for the forcible displacement of our people in the Gaza Strip.”
⭕️ “These statements represent a declaration of war and an attempt to recreate a new Nakba, which will only pass over the bodies of our resilient and steadfast people in Gaza and all of Palestine.”
⭕️ “What is needed today is to turn the clear official and popular Arab stance that rejects displacement plans into tangible actions, decisions, and steps on the ground, including the use of all the nation’s resources as leverage against the U.S. administration.”
