Egypt Rejects Trump's Gaza Displacement Plan in Talks with U.S.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Arab opposition to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Abdelatty emphasized the urgency of Gaza's reconstruction while ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland.

The U.S. State Department did not directly address Trump's proposal but stated that Rubio stressed the need for post-conflict governance in Gaza and reaffirmed that Hamas must not control the enclave again. In a separate meeting with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s commitment to a "comprehensive and just peace."

Trump first suggested on January 25 that Egypt and Jordan should absorb Palestinian refugees. He later proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza and permanent displacement of its residents, a plan widely condemned as ethnic cleansing by rights groups and the UN. The Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states firmly reject any forced relocation.

The Israel-Gaza war, which began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages, has since resulted in over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes. The military offensive has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population, sparking a humanitarian crisis.

As a fragile ceasefire holds, global leaders continue to navigate the path toward peace while addressing the devastation in Gaza.