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Palestinian officials, factions reject, condemn Trump Gaza plot

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Feb 2025 10:03
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Hamas officials and Palestinian leaders strongly reject Trump’s Gaza takeover proposal, emphasizing Palestinians' right to remain in Gaza and their commitment to self-determination.

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A forcibly displaced Palestinian family returns to its home in the northern Gaza Strip, for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month Israeli genocide, on Monday, January 27, 2025. (AP)

Palestinian officials and factions have rejected and denounced US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about a potential US takeover of Gaza, calling them a reflection of "ignorance" and an "unwavering alignment" with Israeli interests.

This comes shortly after Trump pushed for Washignton's "takeover" of the Gaza Strip, during a joint news conference held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it. And be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on this site," Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza, referring to the Strip as a "demolition site" due to months of Israeli bombardment. The war has left most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents displaced.

Hamas

The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has issued a strong condemnation of recent statements by Trump.

In a press release, the Palestinian movement called Trump's comments "hostile" and "counterproductive", warning that they would only exacerbate tensions in the region.

The statement emphasized that Hamas and the Palestinian people would never allow any entity to occupy their land or impose external governance.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a Palestinian state with al-Quds as its capital, calling for international bodies like the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to urgently address the situation.

On his part, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed US President Donald Trump's remarks about taking over Gaza as "ridiculous" and "absurd", warning that they could inflame tensions across the region.

"Trump’s remarks about his desire to control Gaza are ridiculous and absurd," Abu Zuhri said, as quoted by Reuters, adding that "any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region."

In the same context, Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, dismissed Trump’s proposal as reckless and uninformed. "Gaza is not an open land for any party to decide its fate," he said, stressing that the Strip is an "inseparable part of occupied Palestine."

"Any resolution must be based on ending the occupation and securing Palestinian rights—not on the mindset of a real estate mogul obsessed with power and dominance," al-Rishq added.

He also accused the United States of perpetuating Israeli aggression, saying Trump’s remarks reaffirm Washington’s "unwavering bias in favor of Israeli occupation and aggression against the Palestinian people."

Al-Rishq vowed that Palestinians, backed by their allies across the Arab and Muslim world, would resist any forced displacement plans. "Our people, supported by the free nations of the world, will thwart all attempts at expulsion and ethnic cleansing," he said.

'Desperate attempt to erase Palestinian identity'

Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanou also condemned Trump’s proposal, warning that it was part of a broader scheme to "eliminate the Palestinian cause."

"This is a desperate attempt to wipe out our just cause," he said, calling Trump’s rhetoric "dangerous" and aligned with the agenda of "Israel’s" far-right government.

Al-Qanou insisted that Palestinians would never accept forced removal from their homeland. "The people who have withstood the most brutal military assaults for 15 months, facing the world’s most lethal army, will not surrender," he said. "No matter the cost, they will remain steadfast on their land."

He urged the international community to reject Trump’s calls for the mass displacement of Palestinians, saying global powers must uphold their right to self-determination rather than facilitate their removal.

Abu Marzouk signals openness to talks with Trump

Meanwhile, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk signaled the group’s willingness to engage with Trump’s administration, telling Russian state media that Hamas is open to dialogue.

"We are ready to communicate and hold discussions with Trump’s administration," Abu Marzouk told RIA Novosti. "In the past, we have not opposed talks with Biden, Trump, or any other administration. We remain open to dialogue with any international actor."

Acknowledging Washington’s dominant role in Middle Eastern affairs, Abu Marzouk stated that Hamas recognizes the necessity of engaging with the US. "The United States is a key player in the region. That’s why we welcome dialogue," he said.

Other Palestinian factions slam Trump over Gaza takeover plan

In a separate statement, the Resistance Committees in Palestine also denounced Trump's rhetoric, accusing him of aligning with "Zionist forces and furthering Israeli war crimes."

The group called on the region's countries to unite against Trump's actions, asserting that his policies represent a threat not only to Palestinians but to the broader Middle East.

Abu Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Popular Resistance Committees, reaffirmed Palestinians’ determination to remain on their land, stating, "Our people have sacrificed nearly 50,000 martyrs to defend their right to stay." He also emphasized that "Egypt, both officially and en masse, will never allow the existence of an alternative homeland for Palestinians."

Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, reaffirmed the Palestinian leadership's unwavering stance that the "two-state" solution, based on international legitimacy and law, is the key to achieving security, stability, and peace.

In a post on X, he emphasized the leadership’s firm rejection of any calls for the displacement of the Palestinian people from their homeland.

Al-Sheikh declared, "Here we were born, here we lived, and here we will remain," expressing appreciation for the steadfast Arab position upholding these principles.

In the same vein, Fatah spokesperson Munther Hayek dismissed Trump’s remarks as "bizarre", asserting that "the only rightful return for Palestinians is to their homes in Haifa and Yafa, not forced displacement elsewhere."

Maher Mezher, a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), accused the US of "leading the attacks on Resistance forces in Gaza and Lebanon." The Islamic Jihad Movement condemned Trump's statements, saying they confirm that "his administration is directly orchestrating the genocide, displacement, and expansion of occupation."

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement warned that any attempt to displace Palestinians would fail, highlighting their continued defiance despite more than a year of intense Israeli bombardment.

"Before Trump talks about displacing our people, he should remember that 15 months of relentless bombing with US weapons have failed to force them out," the group said.

"The Palestinian people have always chosen resistance—before Trump, and long after him," it added.

Palestinian leadership calls for international action

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas commended regional allies for their firm stance against the forcible displacement of the people of Gaza, highlighting Egypt and Jordan’s rejection of any proposals to force Palestinians out. He also praised Saudi Arabia’s continued opposition to Israeli settlement expansion, land theft, and forced removals, reiterating its commitment to an independent Palestinian state.

Calling for urgent international intervention, Abbas urged the United Nations and the Security Council to uphold international resolutions and take "immediate action to protect the Palestinian people, safeguard their right to self-determination, and end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land."

Leaders must respect Palestinians' wish to stay in Gaza

Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour reaffirmed Palestinians’ commitment to their homeland, rejecting any suggestion of relocation and indirectly pushing back against US President Donald Trump’s proposal.

"Our homeland is our homeland. If part of it is destroyed—the Gaza Strip—the Palestinian people selected the choice to return to it," Mansour stated.

Speaking at the United Nations, he did not directly name Trump but made clear his opposition to the proposal, emphasizing, "Our country and our home is the Gaza Strip, it’s part of Palestine. We have no home. For those who want to send them to a happy, nice place, let them go back to their original homes inside Israel. There are nice places there, and they will be happy to return to these places."

Mansour highlighted the mass return of forcibly displaced Palestinians, noting, "In two days, in a span of a few hours, 400,000 Palestinians walking returned to the northern part of the Gaza Strip."

He concluded by stressing the importance of honoring Palestinian self-determination, "I think that we should be respecting the selections and the wishes of the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian people in the end will make the determination, their determination."