Trump says Jordan, Egypt should take in Palestinians from Gaza; Hamas and Jordan push back

According to REUTERS, U.S. President Donald Trump said Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza, a suggestion rejected by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs the enclave, and apparently rebuffed by the Jordanian foreign minister.

Asked if this was a temporary or long-term solution for Gaza, where Israel's military assault has caused a dire humanitarian situation and killed tens of thousands, Trump said on Saturday: "Could be either."

Jordan is already home to several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands live in Egypt. Both countries and other Arab nations reject the idea of Palestinians in Gaza being moved to their countries. Gaza is land that Palestinians would want as part of a future Palestinian state.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has repeatedly called for the return of Jewish settlers to Gaza, welcomed Trump's call as "an excellent idea" and said he would work to develop a plan to implement it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected such notions, advocated by Smotrich.

A Hamas official echoed long-standing Palestinian fears about being driven permanently from their homes.

Palestinians "will not accept any offers or solutions, even if (such offers) appear to have good intentions under the guise of reconstruction, as announced in the proposals of U.S. President Trump," BasemNaim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told Reuters.

Another Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, urged Trump not to repeat "failed" ideas tried by his predecessor Joe Biden.

"The people of Gaza have endured death and refused to leave their homeland and they will not leave it regardless of any other reasons," Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Jordan also appeared to reject Trump's suggestion, with its Foreign Minister AymanSafadi telling reporters that the country's stance against any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza remains "firm and unwavering".

Egypt has yet to comment but has said on numerous occasions that it rejects any displacement of Palestinians.

The current Gaza conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

The fighting has currently paused amid a fragile ceasefire.