Hamas condemns Trump’s Gaza resettlement plan as “ridiculous”

Article content

Hamas on Wednesday rejected as “absurd” U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans from the war-torn coastal enclave.

Speaking to reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump proposed that the U.S. take control of Gaza, resettle its Palestinian population elsewhere and transform the enclave, which he described as a “demolition site right now,” into a developed hub.

Article content

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that “Trump’s remarks about his desire to control Gaza are ridiculous and absurd, and any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region.”

The terrorist group initiated a war when it led a mass invasion of the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 to Gaza, where 79 are still being held, including 76 from the October 7 attack. The hostages are being released in stages in return for terrorists held by Israel, as part of a tenuous truce that came into effect on Jan. 19, the day before Trump was sworn into office for a second term.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad also denounced Trump’s remarks, calling them “racist” and rejecting any attempts to have Gazans leave the Strip.

In a statement, the terrorist group asserted that Israel’s bombing campaign had failed to drive Palestinians out and that Trump’s comments would not succeed in forcing their transfer.

PIJ reaffirmed its commitment to fighting any such plans, claiming that Palestinians have upheld the “resistance option” for more than a century.

Article content

Article content

On Tuesday, Trump called on Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to accept Gazans, asserting that Palestinians had no choice but to leave the coastal enclave, which has been devastated by nearly 16 months of war between Israel and Hamas.

While Amman and Cairo have rejected previous calls by Trump for them to accept Gazans, Trump said on Tuesday that “I think Jordan and Egypt will, I know they’ve spoken about it with you and they say they’re not going to accept it. I say they will. But I think that other countries will accept also.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohamad Mustafa on Wednesday emphasized the need to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents.

Article content

Following their meeting in Cairo, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry stated that Mustafa presented a comprehensive plan for debris removal and reconstruction in collaboration with international organizations.

While not addressing Trump’s remarks directly, both men called for accelerating reconstruction and aid delivery while ensuring Palestinians remain in Gaza.

According to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, Jordan’s King Abdullah II held a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Tuesday evening. The two leaders stressed “the need to maintain close coordination on regional developments, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.”

Article content

Also on Tuesday, in remarks following a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi commented on Abdullah’s upcoming meeting at the White House with Trump, scheduled for Feb. 11.

“His Majesty is looking forward to meeting President Trump. Jordan & the U.S. are historical partners. Our friendship is solid. Our partnership has done a lot of good for the region & for the world in fighting terrorism & radicalization and trying to bring about peace and stability,” Safadi tweeted.

“President Trump wants to bring peace to the region and we are his partners in this effort. We will do whatever we can to realize this peace & will continue to put solutions on the table.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.

Article content