President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he would like Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab nations to increase the number of Palestinian refugees they accept from Gaza, potentially relocating enough people to "simply clear out" the enclave controlled by the terrorist group Hamas, effectively creating a "clean slate."
During a 20-minute Q&A session with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump also announced that he had lifted his predecessor's ban on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel.
"We released them today," Trump said about the bombs. "They (the Israelis) have been waiting for them for a long time." When asked why he lifted the ban on these bombs, Trump replied, "Because they bought them."
Trump has consistently taken an unequivocally pro-Israel stance. Discussing his broader vision for the situation in Gaza, Trump mentioned that earlier that day he spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan and would also speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday.
"I would like Egypt to take people," Trump said. "We're talking about one and a half million people, and we just clean it all up and say, 'You know, it's over.'"
According to Trump, he praised Jordan for its successful acceptance of Palestinian refugees and told the king, "I would like you to take even more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip, and it’s a complete mess. It’s a real mess."
Trump noted that in that part of the world encompassing Gaza, "there have been many, many conflicts" over the centuries. He stated that resettlement "could be temporary or long-term," in order to "try at least for a change to live in peace.
"Something has to happen," Trump said. "But right now it's literally a demolition site. Almost everything is destroyed, and people are dying there." He added, "Therefore, I would prefer to work with some Arab countries and build housing elsewhere where they might be able to live in peace."
Trump has previously shared his views on Gaza's future. Following his inauguration on Monday, he stated that Gaza "really needs to be rebuilt differently." He added, "Gaza is interesting. It's a phenomenal place, by the sea. The best weather, you know, it's all good. Great things can be done with it (Gaza), but it's very interesting."
A representative of Hamas's political bureau, Bassem Naeem, expressed outrage at the new American leader's comments. "Our people, like others, are capable of rebuilding the Gaza Strip."
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich supported the proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to resettle 1.5 million Palestinians from Gaza.
According to Smotrich, the Palestinian population of Gaza has long been forcibly held within the enclave by opponents of the Jewish state: "After 76 years, during which most residents of Gaza were forcibly kept in dire conditions to maintain hope for the destruction of the State of Israel, a great idea has emerged to help them find a place to start a new and better life," the minister wrote.
Trump articulated his vision for Gaza while marking the first phase of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which paused hostilities and led to the release of some hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel on terrorism charges. Serious negotiations for a more complex second phase of the agreement, which will ultimately lead to the release of all hostages held by the Islamists and a final cessation of hostilities, have not yet begun.
The Israeli government has threatened to resume war against Hamas, which launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, if the remaining hostages are not released. At the same time, there is no precise information on how many of the approximately 90 hostages being held are still alive.