Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call on Saturday, discussing the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the need to solidify the deal. However, there was no indication whether they addressed Trump’s controversial suggestion that Palestinians be relocated to Egypt and Jordan.
The White House reported that the leaders talked about Egypt’s role in facilitating the release of hostages from Gaza, with Sisi expressing confidence in Trump’s ability to help bring peace to the region. Both leaders agreed on the importance of fully implementing the phases of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the White House did not mention the ceasefire directly in its statement.
No mention was made of Trump’s proposal, which he had suggested last week, to move Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan in the wake of Israeli bombings that have left much of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents homeless. Critics have condemned the idea as ethnic cleansing. Sisi rejected this proposal on Wednesday, calling it an “act of injustice,” though Trump reiterated his stance on Thursday, referencing U.S. aid to Egypt and Jordan as a basis for the relocation.
Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Saturday also rejected the idea of transferring Palestinians, warning that it could destabilize the region and hinder peace efforts.
