Hamas refuses Trump’s ‘racist’ Gaza displacement strategy

(MENAFN) Hamas has strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to take control of Gaza and relocate Palestinians from the enclave. Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas's Politburo, condemned the plan, describing it as "racist" and an attempt to "eradicate the Palestinian cause."

Trump’s proposal, made during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggested that the U.S. could take over Gaza, redevelop it, and create jobs and housing. He referred to Gaza as a “demolition site” and outlined plans to rebuild the region, while reiterating his earlier suggestion that Palestinians be permanently resettled outside Gaza.

Al-Risheq criticized the plan, asserting that it would deny Palestinians their established national rights. He emphasized that Gaza’s people had resisted displacement for over 15 months of conflict and would not accept any plan to uproot them. Another senior Hamas leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, called the proposal "a recipe for chaos" in the region, stressing that Palestinians in Gaza would not allow such plans to succeed.

Trump’s remarks were met with widespread global condemnation. Turkey and Egypt strongly rejected the idea of relocating Palestinians, warning it would escalate the conflict and hinder peace efforts. Saudi Arabia also condemned the proposal, asserting that the relocation of Gazans would violate Palestinian rights and that it would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until a Palestinian state is created.

Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour suggested that rather than being relocated, Palestinians should either return to their homes in Israel or rebuild Gaza themselves.

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