Trump says Gazans would not have a right to return to the Strip

WASHINGTON,— U.S. President Donald Trump said residents displaced from Gaza would not have the right to return under his redevelopment plan for the enclave, according to excerpts from a Fox News interview released Monday.

In the interview, Trump suggested he could reach an agreement with Jordan and Egypt to resettle displaced residents, citing the billions of dollars in U.S. aid those countries receive annually.

When asked if Gazans would be allowed to return, Trump told Fox News, “No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing.” He added that he envisioned a long-term relocation plan, as it would take years before Gaza was habitable again.

Trump’s remarks marked the first time he explicitly stated that those displaced from the enclave would not be allowed to return. The comments follow his surprise announcement last week proposing the resettlement of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.

The proposal has been widely rejected by residents of the enclave, the Arab Authority, and Hamas, which governs the territory. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the statement, calling it “irresponsible.”

“This plan has the potential to destabilize the entire region,” Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Monday.

Trump’s proposals, including a suggestion that the United States take control of Gaza, have drawn criticism from international allies. Saudi Arabia, a dominant force in the region, swiftly dismissed the proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met with Trump last week, welcomed the resettlement idea. “They may leave and return or relocate temporarily, but Gaza must be rebuilt,” he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, set to visit the Middle East later this week, echoed Trump’s position, stating that displaced Gazans would need to “live somewhere else in the interim” while reconstruction efforts took place.

Rubio also met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Washington on Monday to discuss regional security concerns. Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X that Cairo is closely monitoring the situation amid fears that displaced people could be pushed across its border.

During a separate portion of the Fox News interview broadcast Sunday, Trump reiterated his vision for U.S. involvement in Gaza’s future.

“This would be mine—consider it a future real estate project,” he said. “It would be a prime piece of land, developed at minimal cost.”

Trump also suggested between two and six communities could be built to house displaced Gazans “a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is.”

(With files from Reuters)