Former U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that his proposal for Gaza explicitly excludes allowing Palestinians to return to the territory, sparking widespread international concern and rejection from regional allies.
In a Fox News interview aired Monday, Trump outlined his vision for Gaza’s future, stating definitively “No, they wouldn’t” when asked if Palestinians would be permitted to return to their territory. He suggested the United States would “own” Gaza, comparing it to “a real estate development for the future.”
The proposal contradicts recent statements from Trump administration officials, including White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who had described the displacement as “temporary,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who characterized it as an “interim” measure.
Trump suggested leveraging U.S. foreign aid to pressure regional allies into accepting displaced Palestinians. “I think I could make a deal with Jordan. I think I could make a deal with Egypt. You know, we give them billions and billions of dollars a year,” he said.
Both Egypt and Jordan have forcefully rejected the proposal. Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have warned that systematic expulsion of Palestinians could constitute a crime against humanity.
The plan faces significant legal hurdles, as the United Nations charter prohibits the acquisition of territory by force. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 48,000 Palestinian casualties, with the Gaza Government Media Office reporting a higher toll of 61,700, including thousands presumed dead among the missing.
Local authorities continue seeking emergency shelter solutions while accusing Israel of impeding aid delivery despite ceasefire agreements. The UN defined ethnic cleansing in 1994 as “a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.”
