By Nandita Bose and Kanishka Singh
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Jordan and Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel’s military assault has caused a dire humanitarian situation and killed tens of thousands.
When asked if this was a temporary or long-term suggestion, Trump said: “Could be either.”
Washington had said last year it opposed the forcible displacement of Palestinians. Rights groups and humanitarian agencies have for months raised concerns over the situation in Gaza, with the war displacing nearly the entire population and leading to a hunger crisis.
Washington has also faced criticism for backing Israel but has maintained support for its ally, saying it is helping Israel defend against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
“I said to him I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess. I’d like him to take people,” Trump, who took office on Jan. 20, said about his call on Saturday with Jordan’s King Abdullah.
“I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump told reporters, adding he would speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.
“You’re talking about a million and half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said.
The population in the Palestinian enclave prior to the start of the Israel-Gaza war was around 2.3 million.
GAZA IS A ‘DEMOLITION SITE’
“It’s literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there, so I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change,” Trump said.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 47,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.
A ceasefire went into effect a week ago and has led to the release of some Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.