Trump's 'Gaza Strip plan': How the Middle East leaders reacted

Donald Trump's proposal to "take over" the Gaza Strip and forcibly displace its residents has drawn strong condemnation from leaders across the Middle East. Trump suggested permanently resettling displaced Palestinians outside of Gaza and proposed that the U.S. "own" the reconstruction of the area. These remarks were made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry issued a statement asserting that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's position remains clear despite Trump's announced plans. "The international community today has a responsibility to alleviate the grave humanitarian suffering faced by the Palestinian people, who will remain steadfast on their land and will not leave it," the statement read. The statement was released hours after Trump's press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Hamas unsurprisingly condemned Trump's plan as well. "Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crimes of genocide and displacement, (the Trump administration) rewards it instead of punishing it," Hamas said in a statement. Hamas added, "We reject Trump’s statements that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a prescription for creating chaos and tension in the region."

Several countries and organizations, including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Arab League, and the Palestinian Authority, have explicitly rejected the idea of transferring Gaza residents to other countries. Ran Porat, a lecturer at Monash University, stated that such a transfer is not feasible. "This is the worst nightmare for the Egyptians, and it's the worst nightmare for the Jordanians," he said, "Palestinians are the rejected children of the Arab world, nobody wants them."

Jared Mondschein, Director of the American Studies Center, stated, "I'm not sure that President Trump has a detailed plan to actually take over Gaza, let alone send Gazans elsewhere in the Middle East." He believes, "More importantly, this seems like an opening gambit for a negotiation." Mondschein suggested that this "maximalist first step" might force Gaza's neighbors to focus more on resolving the problem themselves. He concluded, "Ultimately, few experts believe that transferring hundreds of thousands of Gazans to Egypt and Jordan would solve anything, but it would certainly make it easier for Egypt and Jordan to increase financial and/or political support." The Gaza Strip is home to approximately 2 million people and is one of the most densely populated areas on Earth.