Palestinians reject Trump’s relocation plan as they return to Gaza’s north

Sakher Makdad and his family embarked on a difficult journey back to northern Gaza late on Sunday. This came hours after Israel reopened the northern areas for the first time since the early days of its 15-month war on the Palestinian enclave, following a fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

The 31-year-old man, his wife, and two daughters, Rima, 5, and Rawa, 2, left their displaced persons camp in Khan Younis in the south and headed north along the coastal Rashid Road, hoping to reach their hometown of Beit Hanoun, in the northernmost part of the besieged territory.

The Makdad family was among some 200,000 Palestinians who returned to the worst-hit areas of the Gaza Strip on Monday. The mass return was striking, as many had feared that Israel would never allow them to re-enter those areas after the war. When Al Jazeera met them in central Gaza, they had already walked some 20km (12.4 miles), carrying only a few small bags of clothes.

Despite this, the family was determined to return home. “We want to go back to the place where we grew up, the land that holds our memories. Even if it is destroyed, it is still ours,” Sakher said. This sentiment was echoed by the thousands of others heading north, directly contradicting remarks made by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, who suggested that Palestinians in Gaza could be sent to neighboring Jordan and Egypt.

“You’re talking about maybe 1.5 million people, and we just clean the whole thing up, and then say: ‘You know, it’s done,’” Trump said. While Trump indicated that the move might be a temporary measure, his comments immediately drew strong condemnation, with critics accusing him of advocating for mass displacement, especially amid a push by the Israeli far-right to establish illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza.

“Trump’s talk about relocating us is pure fantasy,” Sakher scoffed. “Does he think that after all we have been through, we will leave? This is our home, and we will stay here.” He emphasized that his family’s journey to Beit Hanoun was about more than just going home. “It is a message to the occupiers and their supporters: We will not give up our land. We will stay here no matter the cost.”

Sakher added that Palestinians across Gaza rejected Trump’s proposal, seeing it as an extension of efforts to “uproot them from their land.” He explained, “No political scheme, no matter how powerful, can change that.” He said, “Every step we take north is a step against displacement. This is our land. We were born here, and we will die here.”

In Khan Younis in southern Gaza, 76-year-old Abu Suleiman Zawala was quietly waging his own form of resistance. His farm, once lush with olive and citrus trees, had been leveled during Israel’s months-long military operation. Abu Suleiman has spent the past few months reclaiming the land. “I have cleared seven dunams (7,000 square meters) of rubble with my hands,” he said, pointing to the newly tilled soil. “Why? Because this is my land, and no one can take it from me.”

For Abu Suleiman, the act of farming was also a declaration of defiance. “Living in the rubble is a challenge, but we have accepted it. Leaving Gaza is not an option. We have lived through bombing, destruction, and loss. We will not give up now,” he said. The Israeli military operation in Gaza, launched on October 7, 2023, has caused unprecedented damage to the enclave. More than 46,700 Palestinians have died, including 18,000 children, and nearly 1.9 million have been displaced, with almost nowhere left untouched. More than half of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including critical infrastructure: 92 percent of major roads and 84 percent of health facilities have been damaged.

Abu Suleiman dismissed Trump’s relocation remarks as those of someone who “does not understand history or reality.” Abu Suleiman said, “A people who have endured 15 months of relentless bombing and refused to leave will never agree to be forcibly relocated.” For many Palestinians, the idea of leaving their homes is not only unthinkable but a betrayal of their history and identity. “Yes, we have endured unimaginable suffering, we have had everything destroyed, and we bear the trauma of genocide,” Abu Suleiman said. “But none of this can force anyone to accept displacement. We still have the memory of the 1948 Nakba fresh in our minds. Those who left then never returned, and we will not let history repeat itself.”

Abu Suleiman was referring to the “Nakba,” or “catastrophe,” when at least 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes when Israel was established in 1948 on 78 percent of historical Palestine. This memory has stayed with many Palestinians and often shapes their actions today. Abu Suleiman noted that there were opportunities to leave Gaza during and even before the war, but the vast majority of people chose to stay, even when death was closer than life.

“We see ourselves as part of the resistance, as defenders of Palestine. To give in or to leave would mean paying a price that the whole nation cannot afford. This heavy burden only strengthens our resolve to hold onto our land, even if it means living in ruins,” he said. Israa Mansour, a 35-year-old mother living in a makeshift tent in Khan Younis after her home was destroyed, supported Abu Suleiman’s view. “We refuse to leave, not because we lack options, but because this is our home. Even my children understand the value of staying on our land, despite the suffering.”

However, Israa argued that Palestinian leaders must step up and provide minimal support, including education, healthcare, and emergency aid, to help people endure the unbearable conditions. “How can we fight displacement if we lack the basic necessities of life?” Israa asked. “Is it reasonable to expect Gaza to endure this purgatory indefinitely, while demanding more resilience from its people? Without food, shelter, and basic needs, even the strongest families may be forced to consider other options, not out of a lack of patriotism, but out of sheer desperation.”

Hani al-Akkad, a Palestinian political analyst from Gaza, believes that the refusal of Palestinians to abandon their land is a major reason why he thinks Trump’s relocation plan will fail. “Every attempt to displace Palestinians in the past has failed because they consider this fight to be their own. When families are camping in the open for days just to get back to the rubble of their northern towns, this is the ultimate expression of their determination to stay,” he said.

Al-Akkad pointed out that the mass return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, despite the fact that the area was particularly targeted by Israel during the war, completely destroyed and lacking in services, sends a message to Israel and international supporters of relocation. “Trump and others do not understand Palestinians,” he said. “It is not just about living on the land; it is a relationship with home that is unwavering and deeply rooted in history and identity.”

“Returning to the north, knowing what awaits them, is a clear rejection of forced relocation,” al-Akkad said. “Those who advocate for such schemes must accept that Palestinians will never leave their land. Instead, they should focus on recognizing their rights and supporting a path towards statehood.” He also dismissed the idea of achieving “voluntary displacement” through deliberate deprivation. “Israel has succeeded in making Gaza almost unlivable. But they have failed to separate Palestinians from their land. The Palestinians in Gaza have proven time and again that they can resurrect even the most destroyed places, and they know that their struggle is not just about survival but a national mission.”