Egypt declines refugees, offers rebuilding plan for Gaza

Author: Published: February 12, 2025

Egypt’s statement comes as Trump continues to press for his plan to take over the Gaza Strip and resettle its population to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.

By REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated: FEBRUARY 12, 2025 08:17
U.S. President Trump meets with with Egypt's President el-Sisi in New York City, New York (photo credit: REUTERS)
U.S. President Trump meets with with Egypt’s President el-Sisi in New York City, New York
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Egypt plans to offer a “comprehensive proposal” to rebuild Gaza while ensuring Palestinians remain on their land, according to a foreign ministry statement on Tuesday.

It said it is looking forward to cooperating with US President Donald Trump to reach comprehensive and just peace in the region.

However, Egypt rejected any proposal to allocate land to Gaza residents, the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV reported, citing Egyptian sources.

The statement comes as Trump continues to press for his plan to take over the Gaza Strip and resettle its population to neighboring Egypt and Jordan despite rejection from Arab states.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Trump met with Jordan’s King Abdullah, stating, “Palestinians will live safely in another location that is not Gaza,” he said, adding that the US wasn’t going to buy Gaza but rather “run it very properly.”

President Donald Trump greets Jordan's King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein (R) and Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah (L) as he arrives at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images))Enlrage image
President Donald Trump greets Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein (R) and Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah (L) as he arrives at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images))

Trump said he thinks there will be parcels of land in Jordan and in Egypt where Palestinians will live, to which the King replied that he would do what is best for his country and that a future plan has to be in everyone’s best interest. Abdullah did, however, say that Jordan would take in 2000 sick children from Gaza.

Hamas’s response

In an official statement on Thursday, Hamas said they strongly rejected Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans and called on Arab countries to unite with the intent of combating the decision.

Hamas also demanded an emergency summit with Arab countries to confront what the terror group referred to as Trump’s “displacement project.”

“Trump’s talk about Washington’s acceptance of the Gaza Strip can be compared to a declaration of its [the US’s] desire to occupy the Strip,” Hamas said.

“We do not need any country to patrol the Gaza Strip, and we do not accept replacing one occupation with another,” the group added.

Trump and Jordan’s king set for tense meeting on Gaza’s future

Author: Published: February 11, 2025
By REUTERS
 Donald Trump meets Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday for what is likely to be a tense encounter following the US president’s Gaza redevelopment idea and threat to cut aid to the US-allied Arab country if it refuses to resettle Palestinians.

Trump’s proposal, floated one week ago, for the US to take over Gaza, move its shell-shocked residents and transform the war-ravaged territory into the “Riviera of the Middle East” drew a negative response from the Arab world.

The concept has introduced new complexity into a sensitive regional dynamic, including a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

Hamas on Monday said it would stop releasing Israeli hostages from Gaza until further notice, saying Israel was violating the agreement to end strikes that have pummeled Gaza. Trump later proposed canceling the ceasefire if Hamas doesn’t release all remaining hostages it took on October 7, 2023, by the weekend.

King Abdullah has said he rejected any moves to annex land and displace Palestinians. On Tuesday, he is expected to tell Trump such a move could spur radicalism, spread chaos in the region, jeopardize peace with Israel and threaten the country’s very survival.

Trump: If the Hostages Are Not Released by Saturday, All Hell Will Break Loose

Author: Published: February 11, 2025
By

David Israel

 –

Displaced Gaza Arabs near their flooded tents in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, January 23, 2025.

President Donald Trump warned on Monday that if all Israeli hostages in Gaza are not returned by Saturday at noon, he would propose canceling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and allowing “all hell to break loose.”

Earlier on Monday, Hamas threatened to delay the next scheduled hostage release, set for Saturday, “until further notice,” accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement (Hamas Freezes Next Hostage Release).

Trump called Hamas’s statement “terrible” and said he would “leave it up to Israel” to decide what should ultimately happen to the ceasefire.

After the Hamas announcement, Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to “prepare at the highest level of alertness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the settlements.”

“Hamas’s announcement of the cessation of the release of the Israeli hostages is a complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal for the release of the hostages,’ said Katz, vowing, “We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7.”

President Trump, for his part, told reporters in the Oval Office, “As far as I’m concerned if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out.”

“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday, and if they’re not returned – all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two. Saturday at 12 o’clock, and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out.”

When asked what “all hell” means for Gaza, Trump said, “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out — Hamas will find out what I mean. These are sick people.”

He then added, “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it, but for myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock, and if they’re not – if they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.”

Trump told the reporters he had not yet spoken to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the timeline he suggested.

According to Kan11 News, citing two sources involved in the negotiations, the crisis with Hamas revolves around humanitarian aid, including tents, caravans, and medical equipment, which Israel is allegedly not delivering to Gaza. However, Israel estimates that the issue will be resolved in the coming days and that the ceasefire scheduled for Saturday will proceed as planned.

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