With his home in Gaza destroyed by Israel’s military offensive, Shaban Shaqaleh had planned to take his family to Egypt for a break once the Hamas-Israel ceasefire was firmly in place.
However, he changed his mind after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to permanently resettle Gaza’s Palestinian residents, stating they should not have the right to return.
The Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City, once lined with towering buildings, is now nearly empty. Without running water or electricity, Shaqaleh’s home—like most in the area—lies in ruins.
“We are horrified by the destruction, the repeated displacement, and the death, and I wanted to leave so I can secure a safe and better future for my children—until Trump said what he said,” Shaqaleh, 47, told Reuters via a chat app.
“After Trump’s remarks, I canceled the idea. I fear leaving and never being able to come back. This is my homeland.”
Palestinians fear that Trump’s plan would result in another Nakba, or “Catastrophe,” referring to the mass expulsions they suffered in 1948 when Israel was created.
Under Trump’s proposal, Gaza’s 2.2 million Palestinians would be relocated, and the U.S. would assume control of the territory, transforming it into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
“The idea of selling my home or the piece of land I own to foreign companies, leaving my homeland, and never returning is completely rejected,” Shaqaleh said. “I am deeply rooted in the soil of my homeland and will always be.”
For generations, Palestinian leadership has adamantly rejected any suggestion of their people leaving Gaza, which they seek as part of an independent state alongside the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Since the war began in 2023, neighboring Arab nations have also dismissed such proposals.
SATURDAY DEADLINE
Following Hamas’ Monday announcement that it was halting the release of Israeli hostages due to what it described as Israeli ceasefire violations, Trump set a firm deadline. He warned that unless the Palestinian militant group releases all remaining hostages by noon on Saturday, he would call for canceling the truce and “letting hell break out.”
“Hell worse than what we have already? Hell worse than killing?” asked Jomaa Abu Kosh, a Palestinian from Rafah in southern Gaza, standing among the ruins.
One woman, Samira Al-Sabea, accused Israel of blocking aid deliveries, an allegation Israel denies.
“We are humiliated. Street dogs are living a better life than us,” she said. “And Trump wants to make Gaza hell? This will never happen.”
Israel launched its offensive on Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in approximately 250 hostages being taken, according to Israeli figures.
The operation has since killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities, and has left much of the enclave in ruins.
Some Palestinians argue that their leaders must work toward a resolution.
“We don’t want to leave our country but also need a solution. Our leaders—Hamas, the PA (Palestinian Authority), and other factions—must find a solution,” said a 40-year-old carpenter named Jehad.
“DOES HE OWN GAZA?”
In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians were similarly outraged by Trump’s remarks.
“Does he own Gaza to ask people to leave it?” asked Nader Imam. “Regarding Trump, I only blame the American people. How can a country like this, a superpower, accept a person like Trump? His statements are savage.”
“What will Trump do? There is no fear, we rely on God,” said another West Bank resident, Mohammed Salah Tamimi.
Trump’s proposal has undermined decades of U.S. diplomacy centered on a two-state solution and has put additional pressure on neighboring Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Palestinians.
Both nations, which receive billions in U.S. aid, have rejected the plan, citing security concerns and their commitment to a Palestinian state.
For Jordan, which borders the West Bank and has already taken in more Palestinian refugees than any other nation, the proposal is particularly alarming.
Trump suggested he might cut aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refuse to comply. Jordan’s King Abdullah, who is set to meet with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, is expected to reiterate his strong opposition.
“Jordan can never accept resolving this issue at its expense,” said Suleiman Saud, chairman of the Palestine Committee in Jordan’s House of Representatives. “Jordan is for Jordanians, and Palestine is for Palestinians.”
