In an interview with Fox News on Friday, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not intend to impose a plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, but rather presents it as a suggestion. He expressed surprise at the rejection of this idea by Egypt and Jordan.
Trump said, “We have given billions of dollars to Egypt and Jordan, and I was astonished by their rejection of the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza, but that is what they decided.” He added, “I believe the plan I proposed is the best solution for the current situation.”
The former president mentioned that his plan includes redeveloping Gaza after the removal of Hamas from the area. He noted that the alternative would be to keep the residents within the strip, but he considered that unfeasible due to the ongoing violence over the decades, saying, “Hamas is deeply embedded among the people, and it is not easy to eliminate them.”
Trump also reiterated his belief that Gaza’s residents would choose to leave if given the opportunity, adding, “I think taking them out of there and building a new, sustainable community is the best option, especially after the destruction that has made the area uninhabitable.”
He expressed his astonishment at Israel’s past abandonment of Gaza, calling it “a bad real estate deal,” saying, “I don’t understand why Israel gave up this location. It is a great strategic site.”
This comes at a time when leaders of several Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan, held an informal meeting in Saudi Arabia in preparation for the upcoming Arab Summit in Egypt, aiming to form a unified Arab stance regarding proposed solutions for Gaza, including Trump’s plan.