'Palestinians have no alternative' but to leave Gaza, Trump says
3 Min Read
US President Donald Trump continues to push for his plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza as he seeks to uproot the entire population in a move that amounts to ethnic cleansing.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have "no alternative" but to leave, describing the besieged enclave as a "demolition site."
"I think that if they have the opportunity, they would love to [move]. If they had an alternative… they have no alternative right now," Trump told reporters. "I mean, have you seen the picture of it, have you been there? I mean, it is terrible there. Who can live like that?"
Trump further claimed that Gaza was "unsafe" and "unsanitary," adding, "What is Gaza? There is practically not a building standing… The whole place is demolished. It is not a place where people want to live."
In addition to his remarks on Gaza, Trump expressed support for the idea of Jordan and Egypt accepting Palestinians from the Strip.
"We continue to press for this idea that Jordan and Egypt take Palestinians from Gaza," he said. "Yeah, I would like to see Jordan, I'd like to see Egypt take some [Palestinians]."
The statement comes amid growing international concerns over the Israeli occupation's ongoing military assault on Gaza, which has led to mass displacement and humanitarian devastation.
'Israel' is 'small'
In a similar vein, Trump avoided answering a reporter's question in the Oval Office on whether he would support "Israel" annexing the West Bank, instead offering an unusual analogy about the country's size.
"I'm not going to talk about that. It certainly is a small, it's a small country in terms of land," Trump responded when asked about his stance on the issue.
Holding up a pen from his desk, he continued, "See this pen? This wonderful pen on my desk is the Middle East, and the top of the pen — that's Israel."
He then added, "That's not good, right? You know, it's a pretty big difference. I use that as an analogy — it's pretty accurate, actually."
Trump appeared to be emphasizing the Israeli occupation's territorial size, stating, "It's a pretty small piece of land. It's amazing what they've been able to do when you think about it, [There's] a lot of good, smart brain power, but it is a very small piece of land, no question about it."
Trump reaffirms pressure on Iran
During the same press briefing, Trump reiterated his stance on Iran, saying he would be willing to meet with Iranian officials to discuss what the US claims were Tehran’s efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. He also stressed that Iran was "too close" to acquiring a nuclear weapon and defended Washington’s efforts to block Iranian oil sales.
As part of his administration’s policies, Trump announced the signing of a "very tough" directive restoring his maximum pressure campaign on Iran. He also formalized a decision to withdraw US engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council and continue withholding funding from the UN Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA).
