US President Donald Trump claimed to have spoken with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about expelling Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt, adding that he had hoped Jordan’s King Abdullah would agree to take in some Gazans.
Trump’s latest comments were a sign that he is doubling down on a controversial plan he announced last week to force Palestinians out of Gaza and settle them in Egypt and Jordan, something that has caused uproar in both countries.
When asked about his expectations for the plan, Trump replied: “I hope [Sisi] does. I wish he would accept some of them. We’ve given them a lot of aid, and I’m confident he’ll help us as well. He’s an old friend of mine in a very tough part of the world. But I think he’ll do it, and I believe King Abdullah will too.”
Egyptian media and the presidential spokesman were silent on Tuesday on the alleged phone call. However, an Egyptian official denied that the conversation had taken place in remarks by the state-owned Extra News channel, urging media to ensure accuracy when reporting “on a communication at this level…during such a critical time in the region”.
Explaining his rationale for relocating Gaza residents, Trump claimed he wanted them to live in areas “free of unrest”.
“I’d like to see people live in areas without unrest, revolts, or violence,” he said. “When you look at Gaza, it’s been hell for many years. It seems to me that there have been numerous civilisations in that area over thousands of years, and violence has always been associated with it,” he said.
“So, I think they could live in safer, perhaps better, and much more comfortable places.”
Egyptian rejection of Trump’s expulsion plans
On Monday, Egypt’s parliament officially rejected Trump’s proposal, saying it would have a “dangerous impact” on Egypt’s national security.
The parliament expressed its support for the ongoing diplomatic efforts to uphold the Gaza ceasefire, emphasising the importance of stability as a foundation for a political resolution that protects the rights of the Palestinian people.
Parliament Speaker Hanafy al-Gebaly stated the house’s “categorical rejection” of any arrangements to alter the geographical or political realities of the Palestinian cause. Gebaly reiterated that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to lasting peace.
The Egyptian foreign ministry stressed in a Facebook statement late on Sunday its rejection of “any prejudice of the [Palestinians’] inalienable rights, whether through settlement, annexation or depopulation”.
It warned that such acts would destabilise the region and lead to the spillover of the conflict.
Jordan also rejected Trump’s proposal in comments by Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi that his country would operate according to “well-known constants: the Palestinian issue must be resolved in Palestine; Jordan is for Jordanians, and Palestine is for Palestinians”.
During talks with UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Sigrid Kaag in Amman on Sunday, Safadi said: “Our position on the two-state solution as the path to peace is unchangeable, as is our rejection of displacement.”
Netanyahu to meet Trump next week
Meanwhile, Israeli hardline right-wing officials welcomed Trump’s proposal to push Gazans to relocate to neighbouring countries.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was quoted by Israeli media as saying: “After 76 years during which the majority of Gaza’s population has been forcibly kept in harsh conditions to preserve the aspiration of destroying the State of Israel, the idea of helping them find other places to start new, better lives is an excellent idea.”
“For years, politicians have proposed impractical solutions like dividing the land and establishing a Palestinian state, which endangered the existence and security of the world’s only Jewish state, leading only to bloodshed and suffering for many. Only out-of-the-box thinking and new solutions will bring about peace and security,” The Times of Israel quoted Smotrich as saying.
Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also backed Trump’s call, saying on his X account: “I commend US President Trump for the initiative to transfer residents from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt.”
“One of our demands from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to promote voluntary emigration,” he added.
When asked on Monday if his proposal had aligned with a two-state solution and his commitment to a Palestinian state, Trump responded: “I’ll speak with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, who will be visiting here very soon.”
Trump is expected to meet Netanyahu in Washington early next week.
“I’m going to be speaking with Bibi Netanyahu in the not too distant future,” Trump told reporters on Monday.
It comes as Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, travels to Israel this week for talks with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
