Hamas calls for urgent Arab summit over Trump’s Gaza resettlement plan
People walk along Gaza's coastal al-Rashid Street to cross the Netzarim corridor from the southern Gaza Strip into the north on January 27, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Thursday urged the convening of an emergency Arab summit to reject the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal.
In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem condemned Trump’s plan, which suggested taking over Gaza and relocating Palestinians.
“Trump’s comments are completely unacceptable. Gaza belongs to its people, and they will not leave,” Qassem said, calling the U.S. president’s proposal “a declared intention to occupy the strip.”
Qassem stressed, “We do not need any country to run Gaza, nor will we accept replacing one occupation with another,” accusing Israel and the U.S. of coordinating their actions.
Hamas also emphasized the importance of Palestinian unity to resist any displacement plans, urging Arab nations to stand against pressure from Trump to relocate Palestinians.
US to ‘take over’ Gaza
On Tuesday, Trump, during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that the U.S. would “take over” Gaza and resettle its population elsewhere under a redevelopment plan, which he claimed could transform the enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
The proposal sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinians, Arab nations, and international communities, including Canada, France, Germany, and the UK.
Trump has previously suggested that Palestinians from Gaza could be relocated to regional Arab countries such as Egypt and Jordan, a proposal rejected by both Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
This resettlement idea follows a cease-fire agreement on Jan. 19, which halted Israel’s military operations in Gaza, leaving over 47,500 dead, 111,000 injured, and the enclave devastated.
