Jordan won't comment on Safadi's denial of Hamas expulsion plan

The Jordanian government has declined to clarify a statement made by its Foreign Minister. This statement appeared to deny a report by Middle East Eye (MEE) that Jordan proposed expelling 3,000 Hamas members from Gaza to end the Israeli war. This matter has sparked widespread attention and raised questions about Jordan's position.

Jordan's Husna Radio reported on Monday that Ayman Safadi denied the report, quoting the Foreign Minister as saying that Jordan's "position on the Palestinian issue remains firm" and rejects any expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank. However, when MEE contacted the Jordanian Foreign Ministry or official government spokespersons regarding Safadi's comments to Husna Radio, no response was received.

MEE also sought comment from the Jordanian government before publishing the initial report, but similarly received no response. Previously, MEE reported on Sunday that Jordan had proposed expelling Hamas' military and civilian personnel from Gaza after being briefed by US and Palestinian sources familiar with the details of the plan. The proposal also called for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip.

According to MEE sources, the disarmament would take place according to a predetermined timetable, ultimately ending Hamas' rule in Gaza and allowing the Palestinian Authority to take over. The proposal was made after Israel resumed its devastating bombing of Gaza on March 18, which killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians and ended a fragile ceasefire agreement. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 600 Palestinians have been killed since then, bringing the total death toll to over 50,000 since October 7, 2023.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped broker the initial ceasefire agreement, said in an interview on Friday that Hamas cannot rule the Gaza Strip and called for its disarmament. Safadi told Husna Radio in his statement that Jordan rejects any solutions imposed on the Palestinian people outside the framework of their right to establish a state on their land with East Jerusalem as its capital. Furthermore, the Jordanian official incorrectly stated that Amman authorities had not received a request for comment from Middle East Eye regarding the initial report.

Jordan, like Egypt, has faced pressure from the US administration of President Donald Trump to accept Palestinians from Gaza as part of the US plan to "clean up" and rebuild the enclave, which has been almost completely destroyed by ongoing Israeli attacks. Last month, sources in Amman told MEE that Jordan was "ready for war" if Palestinians were forcibly expelled from Gaza, but said the country was eager for a peaceful solution. These comments were made shortly before Jordan's King Abdullah met with Trump at the White House. Subsequently, Arab League countries approved a $53 billion Egyptian proposal calling for the reconstruction of Gaza without displacement.