Trump says will not impose Gaza takeover plan, surprised by Egypt-Jordan rejection

CAIRO – 21 February 2025: US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he is not intending to impose his recently announced plan to take over Gaza and displace its residents elsewhere, especially to Egypt and Jordan.

In an interview with Fox News Radio, Trump described his plan as good, but said he will opt to recommend instead of imposing it.

Trump expressed surprise at the rejection of his plan by Jordan and Egypt, citing the US provision of substantial financial aid to both countries.

He said that his plan ends Hamas’ presence in Gaza.

Trump claimed that the people of Gaza will be willing to move to a more stable place if they are given the choice.

BREAKING:

Donald Trump says his plan for Gaza is good, but he is not imposing it and will only recommend it. pic.twitter.com/1sqOkBxu4s

— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) February 21, 2025

The US president’s plan has drawn global and Arab condemnation, suggesting that the US will "take over" Gaza and permanently displace its more than two million Palestinian residents to neighboring areas, especially Egypt and Jordan.

Several rights groups have labeled the planned move as “ethnic cleansing.”

In a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in February, Trump claimed that the US “will take over the Gaza Strip … and be responsible for dismantling all the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”

He claimed that the US would transform Gaza into a development project that could become “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

Egypt, Jordan, the Arab League—which comprises all 22 Arab countries—and the European Union have all opposed this proposal, stressing that it undermines the globally-advocated two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said a three-year timeframe is a reasonable estimate for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gaza, aiming to restore it to a condition better than it was before the Israeli war#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/FTb7uBTu1R

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) February 20, 2025

Meanwhile, Egypt is leading efforts to develop a multi-phase reconstruction plan as an alternative to Trump's proposal.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated on Wednesday that a three-year timeline is a reasonable estimate for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gaza, aiming to restore the enclave to a state better than it was before the war.

In mid-February, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US is willing to hear from Arab countries about any alternative plan for Gaza but warned that any plan that leaves Hamas in place “is going to be a problem.”