Gazans protest Trump's population relocation proposal

Demonstrators gather outside the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on January 31, 2025 to protest against a plan floated by U.S. President Donald Trump to move Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan. /CFP

Dozens of Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza on Saturday, protesting against U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to relocate the Strip's population to Egypt and Jordan, while praising Egypt for rejecting the plan.

Protesters gathered at Al-Saraya Square in central Gaza City and in Deir al-Balah, located in the middle of the Strip, waving Palestinian and Egyptian flags.

Large banners with images of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi displayed slogans that read, "Egypt will always stand as a true supporter and defender of the Palestinian cause and will never accept the displacement of its people."

In a statement on behalf of families and clan leaders, protesters strongly rejected any plan or measures aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land. "Palestine is our rightful homeland, and we will not allow anyone to undermine that," the statement read.

The statement urged Palestinians to stand united against any attempts to undermine their rights, calling on them to remain steadfast on their land and committed to their right of return and independence. "We will not accept any threat to our Palestinian identity or any distortion of our history, which has been shaped by generations of struggle and resilience against the occupation," it added.

The statement further praised Egypt's stance under its president, highlighting his continuous support for the Palestinian cause and his firm rejection of any attempts to liquidate it or compromise Palestinian national rights.

Earlier in the day, Hamas dismissed the U.S. proposal about relocating Gaza's population abroad as "absurd and worthless."

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement that the repeated U.S. claims about "displacing Gaza's population under the pretext of rebuilding it reflect a persistent U.S. complicity in the crime."