U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that both Jordan and Egypt should accept a greater number of Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel’s military operations have resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis and the loss of tens of thousands of lives.

When questioned whether this proposal was intended as a short-term or long-term solution, Trump responded, “It could be either.”

Last year, Washington expressed its opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians. For months, human rights organizations and humanitarian agencies have voiced concerns regarding the situation in Gaza, where the ongoing conflict has nearly displaced the entire population and triggered a hunger crisis.

The U.S. has also faced backlash for its support of Israel, yet it continues to back its ally, asserting that it is assisting Israel in defending itself against militant groups backed by Iran, such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.

“I mentioned to him that I would appreciate it if he could accept more people because the entire Gaza Strip is currently in chaos, a real mess. I would like him to take in some individuals,” Trump remarked about his conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah.

“I would also like Egypt to accept more people,” Trump told reporters, indicating that he would discuss this matter with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday. “We’re talking about one and a half million people, and we could effectively clear out the entire area,” Trump added.

The population of the Palestinian enclave before the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict was approximately 2.3 million.

GAZA AS A ‘DEMOLITION SITE’

“It is essentially a demolition site; nearly everything has been destroyed, and people are perishing there. Therefore, I would prefer to collaborate with some Arab nations to construct housing in a different area where they might have the opportunity to live in peace for a change,” Trump stated.

The recent violence in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict was ignited on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants from Palestine launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources. In response, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have resulted in over 47,000 fatalities, according to the Gaza health ministry, and have sparked allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel refutes.

A ceasefire was implemented a week ago, leading to the release of several Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.