Egypt appreciates Trump's remarks on not demanding Palestinians to leave Gaza

CAIRO – 13 March 2025: Egypt on Thursday expressed its appreciation for US President Donald Trump's statements regarding not demanding Palestinian residents to leave Gaza, saying they reflect an understanding of the need to avoid a worsening humanitarian situation.

Trump, during a press conference with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin from the Oval Office on Wednesday, said “nobody is expelling any Palestinians.”

His remarks came in response to a reporter who asked about his plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza against the backdrop of his previous Gaza “takeover” plan unveiled last month.

REPORTER: What about the president's plan to expel Palestinians out of Gaza?

TRUMP: Nobody is expelling any Palestinians. Who are you with?

REPORTER: I'm with Voice of America, sir.

TRUMP: Oh, no wonder. pic.twitter.com/wZJ5A3JQYr

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 12, 2025

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said Trump’s position expresses his “understanding of the necessity of working towards finding just and sustainable solutions for the Palestinian cause.”

Egypt emphasized the importance of building on this “positive approach to advance efforts for peace in the Middle East through adopting a comprehensive path based on a clear vision that ensures stability and security for all parties.”

The foreign ministry also called for building on Trump’s global peace initiative to fulfill the Palestinian people’s rights and establish a Palestinian state.

Egypt said it believes that Trump's initiative to end international conflicts and establish peace, including in the Middle East, can serve as a practical framework for collaborative efforts.

The ministry emphasized the necessity that these efforts support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish an independent state along the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Egypt reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to supporting “all serious initiatives aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region.”

The nation also calls on all international and regional parties to intensify efforts to advance the peaceful settlement process, ensuring security, stability, and prosperity for the peoples of the region.

‘I THOUGHT MY PLAN WAS GOOD’

Trump’s latest remarks on Gaza come amid Arab and international backlash over his February proposal that the US will “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, while relocating its two million residents permanently to neghboring countries, especially Egypt and Jordan.

Trump justified his proposal by claiming that Gaza has become “a demolition site” and that it would be “inhumane” to force people to live there.

However, he later stated that he would not impose his plan despite being a “good one.”

“I liked my plan. I thought my plan was good,” Trump told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade late in February. “You get them out, you move them, you build a beautiful community and a permanent community.”

Arab countries and Europe have rejected Trump’s proposal, affirming that Gaza is an integral part of a future Palestinian state under an aspired two-state solution.

Arab leaders on Tuesday endorsed an Egyptian plan for Gaza reconstruction, aimed to provide an alternative to a proposal unveiled by US President Donald Trump to “take over” Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/ZAr3dHft4s

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) March 6, 2025

Earlier this month, Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian $53 billion plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, which has been supported by European leaders.

The initiative aims to provide temporary housing for hundreds of thousands of Gazans in the first six months, while establishing permanent housing throughout the five-year timeframe of the project.

Jordan's Permanent Representative to the Arab League Ambassador Amjad Adaileh confirmed on Wednesday that a delegation of Arab states will be formed to visit the US and western countries to discuss the reconstruction plan.

He noted that the details of the initiative will become clear in the coming weeks, and possibly days.

The war in Gaza over the past 16 months has killed more than 48,000 people and displaced at least 1.9 million people (around 90 percent of the population), reported the UN.

Moreover, over 60 percent of homes and 65 percent of roads have been devastated with roughly 51 million tons of rubble blanketing the enclave, according to UN estimates.

Hamas and Israel seem closer to move to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement amid recent discussions that reportedly involved the three mediators: Egypt, Qatar and the United States, alongside Hamas officials#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/sLSkRCz6AZ

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) March 7, 2025

The US has intensified efforts to secure the release of captives taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and still held there.

Last week, the US held unprecedented direct talks with Hamas, representing a significant departure from the US longstanding policy of avoiding direct engagement with the movement.

US President Donald Trump's captive envoy, Adam Boehler, who is in charge of negotiating with Hamas described the talks as “very helpful,” stating that a deal can be reached “within weeks.”