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Rabat – Hamas has rejected US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate Gaza residents to Egypt and Jordan.
Hamas leadership vowed on Sunday to foil any displacement attempts just as they have defeated similar resettlement proposals for decades.
Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told AFP Gazans “will not accept any offers or solutions, even if their apparent intentions are good under the banner of reconstruction, as proposed by US President Trump,” thus impeding any relocation attempt.
Meanwhile, Hamas’s ally Islamic Jihad denounced the proposal as “deplorable,” accusing Trump of encouraging “war crimes and crimes against humanity by forcing our people to leave their land.”
For the part of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained silent, while far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed the relocation proposal, calling it an “excellent idea.”
Smotrich suggested that the resettlement plan would allow Palestinians to “establish a new beautiful life elsewhere,” claiming that “out-of-the-box thinking with new solutions would bring a solution of peace to the region.”
Trump suggested on Saturday to have nearby countries, namely Egypt and Jordan, broaden their capacity to take in Palestinian refugees.
However, many critics and other Palestinian groups echo Hamas’ sentiment, fearing that these words from Trump and Israel leadership, while claiming to have good intentions, are actually attempts at ethnic cleansing rooted in Zionist ideology.
For Gazans, Trump’s proposal will add salt to their wounds, adding significantly to their suffering after they are still reeling from Israel’s atrocities committed against them during their 14-month genocide on the enclave.
Read also: Gaza Death Toll Rises to Over 47,000 as Ceasefire Allows Recovery of Bodies
This controversial proposal reflects America’s newly elected president’s pro-Israeli strategy. Although some Americans had hoped that Trump’s actions would be different from the last administration under Biden and support Palestinians, his recent actions prove otherwise.
Palestinian sharp rejection of the new-found plan shows their deep-rooted resistance to involuntary displacement, no matter the cost.
The majority of 2.4 million Gaza residents have already been displaced due to Israel’s relentless carpet bombing of the war-torn enclave.
Trump’s new proposal comes after a much-needed ceasefire agreement is taking effect with captives exchange happening between Hamas and Israel.
It also comes while Palestinian displaced residents are waiting to return to their homes in northern Gaza. Israel said it would not allow this because an expected release of Arbel Yehoud, an Israeli civilian hostage, did not take place during the second round of captive exchange.
As international diplomatic circles are yet to analyze the contentious plan, the bald divide between Israeli right-wing support and Palestinian resistance signals that the ceasefire is just the beginning of resolving the many challenges ahead.
