Trump says Jordan, Egypt must take more Palestinians from Gaza By Reuters

By Nandita Bose and Kanishka Singh

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Jordan and Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel’s military assault has caused a dire humanitarian situation and it killed tens of thousands.

When asked if that was a temporary or long-term suggestion, Trump said, “It could be either.”

Washington had said last year that it opposes the forced displacement of Palestinians. Rights groups and humanitarian agencies have for months raised concerns about the situation in Gaza, with the war displacing almost the entire population and leading to a famine crisis.

Washington has also faced criticism for supporting Israel, but has maintained support for its ally, saying it helps Israel defend against Iran-backed militant groups such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. .

“I told him I’d like him to take more, because I look at the whole Gaza strip now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess. I’d like him to take people,” Trump, who took. office on January 20, he said on his call on Saturday with King Abdullah of Jordan.

“I would like Egypt to take the people,” Trump told reporters, adding that he would speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.

“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just cleaned all of that up,” Trump said.

The population in the Palestinian enclave before the start of the Israel-Gaza war was about 2.3 million.

GAZA IS A “DEMOLITION SITE”

“It’s literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying here, so I prefer to participate with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different place where they can maybe live in peace for a change,” Trump. he said.

The latest bloodshed in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants from Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli accounts. .

Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza killed more than 47,000 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.

A ceasefire went into effect a week ago and led to the release of some Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.