The US president’s proposal to Egypt, Jordan to take in more Gaza residents has raised fears among Palestinians of another Nakba forced displacement.
US President Donald Trump Suggestion Jordan and Egypt must evacuate more Palestinians from Gaza, devastated by Israel’s 15-month bombardment, raising concerns among the enclave’s residents as well as its neighbors.
The proposal is likely to heighten fears of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians being expelled from the coastal strip, and raise concerns among Arab states that have long worried about the destabilizing effects of any such withdrawal. are happy
What is behind the concerns?
Palestinians have long been700,000 of them were driven from their homes when Israel declared its creation in 1948, the Nakba”, or catastrophe.
Many were expelled or fled to neighboring Arab states, including Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, where many of them or their descendants still live in refugee camps. Some went to Gaza. Israel disputes the account that they were forced out.
The latest conflict since then has seen unprecedented Israeli bombardment and ground operations in Gaza, devastating civilian areas. Palestinians and UN officials say there is no longer a safe area to seek refuge in Gaza.
Most Gazans have already been displaced multiple times during Israel’s offensive, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. .
According to Palestinian health officials, more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military operation in Gaza so far. A recent study by academics looking at the period up to June 2024 showed that the number of deaths 40 percent more..
What happened during this conflict?
Before Israel launched its attack, he told the Palestinians North Gaza has been told to move to safe areas in the south. As the offensive spread, Israel asked them to move further south to Rafah.
According to UN estimates, up to 85 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people – one of the most densely populated areas in the world – have already been displaced.
Many Palestinians in Gaza have said they would not leave even if they could because they fear it could lead to another permanent exodus like the one in 1948.
Meanwhile, Egypt has kept the border tightly closed except to allow a few thousand foreigners, dual nationals and a handful of others to leave Gaza. Egypt and other Arab countries strongly oppose any attempt to push Palestinians across the border.
Still, the scale of the conflict eclipses other Gaza crises or flare-ups in recent decades, and the humanitarian devastation for Palestinians deepens by the day.
What are the Arabs, Western countries and the United Nations saying?
From the early days of the conflict, Arab governments, particularly Egypt and Jordan, said Palestinians should not be expelled from the land they want to form a future state, which would include the West Bank and Gaza.
Like the Palestinians, they fear that any mass movement across the border will further undermine the prospects for a “two-state solution” – the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel – and the consequences for Arab countries. Will stop dealing with.
Top UN officials have voiced concerns about mass displacement. UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said last February that “To think that the people of Gaza can move to safety.
What have the Israeli government and its politicians said?
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on February 16, 2024 that Israel has… There are no plans to deport. Palestinians from Gaza. Katz added that Israel will coordinate with Egypt on Palestinian refugees and find a way not to harm Egypt’s interests.
However, comments by some in the government have sparked fears of a new Nakba among Palestinians and Arabs.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich On December 31, 2023, the Palestinian residents of Gaza were called upon to leave the besieged enclave. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir He said the war presented “an opportunity to focus on encouraging the migration of Gazans”.
On December 10, 2023, after Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Israel’s offensive was “a systematic attempt to empty Gaza of its people”, Israeli government spokesman Alon Levy called the comments “provocative and false accusations”. stated.
According to one Reuters The October 2024 report, which cited sources, said Israeli leaders were seeking strategic gains beyond military victories — to create de facto buffer zones and protect its borders from any future attacks. can be saved from
