Trump calls for displacement of Palestinians from Gaza

US President Donald Trump has called on Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza, declaring he wants to "clean out" the war-torn territory.

Speaking with reporters on board Air Force One on Saturday, Mr Trump said he had spoken to Jordan's King Abdullah II about moving Palestinians out of Gaza, which he likened to a "demolition site".

Trump stated, "I would like Egypt to take people," noting that "You're talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say: 'You know, it's over.'"

He added that Gaza's inhabitants could be moved "temporarily or could be long term". "It is literally a demolition site right now, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there," he continued.

"So I'd rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where maybe they can live in peace for a change."

Over 2.3 million people have been displaced from Gaza in the 15 months since Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

In Gaza, cars and carts loaded with belongings jammed a road near the Netzarim Corridor that Israel has blocked, preventing the expected return of hundreds of thousands of people to northern Gaza.

Trump's proposal has been met with firm rejection by Hamas and various politicians, some condemning any efforts as "ethnic cleansing".

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas expressed strong rejection and condemnation of any projects aimed at displacing Palestinians from Gaza, stating that the Palestinian people "will not abandon their land and holy sites".

Independent Palestinian politician Dr Mustafa Barghouti also "completely rejected" Trump's comments, asserting that "the conspiracy of ethnic cleansing will not succeed in Gaza or the West Bank".

Islamic Jihad, which has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza, deemed Trump's idea as "deplorable".

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP that Palestinians would "foil such projects", similar to past plans for displacement and alternative homelands.

The Arab League warned against "attempts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land", labelling such actions as ethnic cleansing.

For Palestinians, any attempt to move them from Gaza evokes memories of the "Nakba", or catastrophe - referring to the mass displacement during Israel's creation in 1948.

Displaced Gaza resident Rashad al-Naji stated, "We say to Trump and the whole world: we will not leave Palestine or Gaza, no matter what happens."

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi declared, "Our rejection of the displacement of Palestinians is firm and will not change. Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians."

Egypt's foreign ministry also rejected any infringement of Palestinians' "inalienable rights".

The humanitarian situation remains dire amidst a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which aims to end 15 months of fighting and release hostages. The UN has reported that despite a surge of aid into Gaza, conditions are still critical.

As of now, of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, 87 remain in Gaza. The Hamas attack has resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to official figures.

Moreover, Israel's retaliatory offensive has reportedly killed at least 47,306 people in Gaza. The Israeli army claims that soldiers have "fired warning shots" as residents attempted to return to their homes near the border with Lebanon.