Five Arab foreign ministers and a senior Palestinian official have formally opposed proposals to remove Palestinians from Gaza, stating their concerns in a joint letter sent Monday to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Signed by the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, along with Palestinian presidential adviser Hussein al-Sheikh, the letter was first reported by Axios. The top diplomats had convened in Cairo over the weekend to coordinate their response.
The letter comes in reaction to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion on Jan. 25 that Jordan and Egypt could take in displaced Palestinians from Gaza. When asked whether such resettlement would be temporary or permanent, Trump responded, “Could be either.”
The proposal reignited Palestinian concerns about forced displacement and was condemned by critics as a form of ethnic cleansing. Arab leaders have firmly rejected the idea, maintaining that Palestinians should remain in Gaza and participate in its reconstruction.
“Reconstruction in Gaza should be through direct engagement with and participation of the people of Gaza,” the letter stated. “Palestinians will live in their land and help rebuild it. They should not be stripped of their agency during reconstruction as they must take ownership of the process with the support of the international community.”
Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel has denied. The conflict began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
While a fragile ceasefire remains in place, regional leaders are focused on diplomatic solutions to prevent further displacement and ensure post-war reconstruction efforts remain centered on Palestinian leadership.
