Donald Trump says relocated Palestinians would have no right of return to Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip would have no right to return under his proposed plan for the United States to "own" the territory. This declaration contradicts claims from officials in his administration, who have attempted to argue that Trump was merely calling for a temporary relocation of Gaza's population. This divergence in messaging creates confusion about the actual intent behind the proposal.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump was asked whether Palestinians in Gaza would have the right to return to the area, less than a week after he floated the idea of the U.S. controlling Gaza and turning it into a "Middle East Riviera." Trump responded, "No, they don't." His firm denial underscores a stark departure from previous understandings of the region's future.

Concurrently, Trump has intensified pressure on Arab nations, particularly U.S. allies Jordan and Egypt, to accept Palestinians from Gaza, who assert the territory is part of their future homeland. Trump stated, "We’ll build safe communities, somewhat away from where they are now, away from all the danger. And in the meantime, I'm going to own it. Think of it as a future real estate deal. It’ll be beautiful land. It won’t cost a lot of money." This vision presents a controversial approach to the region's complex issues.

Arab nations have strongly criticized the proposal, and Trump's latest remarks were released a day before he was scheduled to host Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House. Beyond concerns about jeopardizing the long-standing goal of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Egypt and Jordan have also privately expressed security concerns about even temporarily hosting a large influx of refugees into their countries. These concerns highlight the delicate balance of regional stability.

When asked how he would persuade King Abdullah to accept Palestinians, Trump told reporters, "I think he will take them, and I think other countries will take them. They have hearts that are good." However, he simultaneously threatened to withhold billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Jordan and Egypt if they did not accept his plan. Trump said, "Yeah, maybe. Certainly, why not? I might withhold aid, yeah, if they don't do it." This coercive approach adds another layer of complexity to the diplomatic landscape.

Trump's remarks have the potential to jeopardize the already fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas following 15 months of war in Gaza, where existing negotiation frameworks call for massive humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for Gazan civilians. Following Trump's initial comments last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Senator Marco Rubio insisted that Trump merely wanted Palestinians to "temporarily" relocate from Gaza in order to conduct debris cleanup, handle unexploded ordnance, and rebuild. This attempt to soften the impact of Trump's words underscores the administration's internal discord.

Trump did not rule out deploying U.S. troops to help secure the area last week, but simultaneously insisted that no American funds would be used for Gaza's reconstruction, raising fundamental questions about the nature of his plan. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that there was an "Arab consensus" on rejecting the displacement of Palestinians, while Trump continues to push his proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Shoukry emphasized "the importance of finding a political horizon for the Palestinian cause, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and enabling the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination," according to an Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement.

Senior Hamas officials have slammed Trump's latest remarks about the U.S. owning Gaza as "delirious." Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Risheq said the comments reflected "profound ignorance of Palestine and the region." This strong condemnation reflects the deep opposition to Trump's proposals from key stakeholders in the conflict.