Thousands gathered at the border crossing, denouncing Trump’s plan to relocate the Palestinians from Gaza [Ali Moustafa/Getty Images]
Egyptians demonstrated near the Gaza border on Friday to protest US President Donald Trump’s proposal to displace Palestinians from the enclave to Egypt.
Thousands of protesters gathered near the Rafah crossing, the only point of entry between Egypt and Gaza, which Israel has been in control of since last year when it stormed the southern Gaza Strip.
Several parties called for the demonstration, most notably the Union of Arab Tribes, headed by Egyptian businessman Ibrahim al-Organi, who is reportedly close to Egyptian intelligence services, according to The New Arab’s sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
The protesters denounced any displacement plans for Gaza which would see Palestinians removed from the enclave and sent to Egypt.
“Egypt is a red line! No to displacement!” some of them shouted, waving Egyptian and Palestinian flags.
Last week, Trump said the Palestinian enclave – which he described as a “demolition site” – should be “cleaned out,” suggesting that some Palestinians be homed in neighbouring Egypt as well as Jordan, which neighbours the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The proposal quickly drew condemnation from Cairo and Amman, reiterating their refusal to displace Palestinians in any way or form.
But on Thursday, Trump seemed adamant that the two Arab states would take in Palestinians, without explaining how.
“They will do it,” Trump told a reporter when asked about what his plans would be if Egypt and Jordan refused to take in Palestinians.
“They’re going to do it, okay? We do a lot for them, and they’re going to do it,” Trump said, seated at his desk in the Oval Office.
Jordan and Egypt are both top recipients of US financial aid, just behind Ukraine and Israel.
Citing local political sources, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed had revealed earlier this week that parties close to the Egyptian government and security services had begun preparing for the demonstrations to object to Trump’s plans for Gaza.
Egyptians have used ‘Deal of the Century’ hashtag on X, to refer to Trump’s 2020 plan for the occupied Palestinian territories that was strongly rejected by Ramallah due to being strongly in favour of Israel.
Rafah crossing reopening
Separately at the border post, logistical measures on the Palestinian side of the fence have been completed to reoperate the Rafah crossing in the “coming hours”, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported, citing an Egyptian source.
Some facilities needed to operate the crossing had been set up as a replacement for older facilities destroyed by Israel, the unnamed source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
The Rafah crossing, a crucial entry point into Gaza, was closed in May last year when the Israeli military seized the area and shuttered the Palestinian side. Israel has refused to allow Hamas to retake the crossing.
A European Union monitoring mission arrived at the crossing on the Gaza side Friday morning, as had been announced earlier this week.
The 27-nation bloc set up a civilian mission in 2005 to help monitor the crossing, but it was suspended two years later after the Palestinian Hamas group took control of Gaza.
Italy, Spain and France had said they would send officers to form part of a police security detachment to help protect the mission.
Israeli media said that the crossing would reopen on Friday instead of Sunday after Israeli female captives were released by Hamas in line with the ceasefire deal.
Two Israeli and five Thai captives being held in Gaza were released on Thursday in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is set to release three more Israeli captives in return for detainees on Saturday.
