CAIRO. Egypt has launched a diplomatic campaign against a controversial proposal by former U.S. President Donald Trump to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, warning that the plan could destabilize the region and threaten its long-standing peace treaty with Israel. Meanwhile, Israel has begun preparations for the mass departure of Palestinians, despite widespread international opposition.
Trump’s administration initially presented the plan as a permanent resettlement but later softened its stance, claiming that the relocation would be temporary. However, officials have yet to provide concrete details.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump stated that Palestinians would be “resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes,” and that the United States would take charge of Gaza’s redevelopment. He emphasized that no American troops would be needed for this effort. Hours later, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed that the relocations would be temporary, with Palestinians staying “somewhere else in the interim” while Gaza is rebuilt.
Palestinian and Regional Backlash
Palestinians have vehemently rejected Trump’s proposal, fearing they will never be allowed to return. Egypt has strongly opposed the plan, calling it a “blatant violation” of international law and warning that it could undermine ceasefire negotiations and peace efforts across the Middle East.
“This behavior provokes the return of hostilities and poses risks on the entire region and the foundations of peace,” the Egyptian government stated on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, has also denounced any mass displacement of Palestinians, linking its rejection to the broader issue of Palestinian statehood. Riyadh insists that normalization of relations with Israel—a major goal of Trump’s foreign policy—will not occur without the creation of a Palestinian state that includes Gaza.
Despite Israel and Trump’s insistence that the proposed relocation is voluntary, Palestinians across the political spectrum have vowed to remain in their homeland. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have condemned the plan, arguing that it constitutes “ethnic cleansing.”
Israel Begins Preparations Amid Uncertainty
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that he has directed the military to prepare for the mass emigration of Palestinians through land crossings, as well as “special arrangements for exit by sea and air.” However, there were no immediate signs of such preparations on the ground.
Israeli officials have not disclosed how they would respond if Palestinians refuse to leave, leaving significant uncertainty around the plan’s feasibility.
Egypt’s Diplomatic Push
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has not publicly responded to Trump’s proposal, which aims to relocate Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and place the U.S. in charge of reconstruction. However, behind the scenes, Egypt has been engaging in intense diplomatic efforts to block the initiative.
Egyptian officials, speaking anonymously, revealed that Cairo has communicated its opposition to the Pentagon, the State Department, and members of the U.S. Congress. The message has also been conveyed to Israel and key European allies, including Britain, France, and Germany.
A Western diplomat in Cairo, also speaking anonymously, confirmed that Egypt views the plan as a direct threat to its national security and has delivered strong objections through multiple channels. Egypt had previously rejected similar proposals from the Biden administration and European governments, but Trump’s public endorsement of the idea has intensified diplomatic tensions.
Hamas, which still controls much of Gaza, has condemned the proposal, warning that any U.S. takeover of the territory would be considered an occupation. The militant group has not yet indicated whether this dispute will affect ongoing ceasefire negotiations, including the next scheduled exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Saturday.
Regional Unity Against Forced Relocation
When Trump first announced his proposal, he described it as a way to permanently relocate most of Gaza’s population to other countries, allowing the U.S. to transform the territory into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” Egyptian officials, however, have dismissed the notion that relocation is necessary for reconstruction, reiterating their commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state encompassing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
Israel, which opposes Palestinian statehood, has insisted on maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza and the West Bank. It has also formally annexed East Jerusalem, which remains unrecognized by most of the international community.
Last week, Egypt hosted a high-level meeting with top diplomats from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. These countries, all of which have played a role in past U.S.-brokered agreements with Israel, collectively rejected any forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank.
In an editorial on Thursday, Egypt’s state-run newspaper, Al-Ahram, warned that “the Arab countries’ independence, their peoples’ unity, and their territorial integrity are under grave threat.”
As tensions rise, Egypt’s strong opposition to Trump’s plan underscores the broader regional resistance to any mass displacement of Palestinians, reinforcing the growing diplomatic divide over Gaza’s future.
