Egypt has been quietly intensifying its diplomatic efforts to prevent the United States from moving forward with President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. The Egyptian government has voiced concerns that this plan could endanger its longstanding peace agreement with Israel, which has been a cornerstone of stability and US influence in the Middle East for decades.
Although Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has yet to publicly comment on Trump’s controversial plan, which suggests relocating most of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians and having the US oversee its reconstruction, Egyptian officials have been vocal in private. The officials, who spoke under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, made it clear that Cairo is firmly opposed to the idea and warned that it threatens the stability of the peace treaty that has been in place for almost 50 years.
One official disclosed that Egypt has communicated its stance to US authorities, including the Pentagon, the State Department, and members of Congress, as well as to Israel and its European allies. A second official mentioned that the message had also been relayed to the governments of Britain, France, and Germany.
A Western diplomat in Cairo, who also spoke anonymously, confirmed that Egypt has sent this strong message through various diplomatic channels. The diplomat emphasized that Egypt views the proposal as a direct threat to its national security and noted that the country had already rejected earlier offers from the US and European nations to accept Gazan refugees, especially in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 civilians. These earlier discussions were held privately, whereas Trump made his proposal public at a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu by his side.
Following widespread international criticism, the Trump administration dialed back elements of the proposal, stating that the relocation of Palestinians would be a temporary measure. However, US officials have not provided specific details about how the plan would be implemented or when it might take effect.
On Thursday, Trump made a social media post claiming that Israel would hand over Gaza to the United States after the war, insisting that US soldiers would not be needed for the redevelopment plan. In contrast, Palestinians have firmly rejected the proposal, fearing that they would never be allowed to return to their homes. Saudi Arabia, another key US ally, has also opposed the mass relocation, insisting that it will not normalize relations with Israel — a central goal of Trump’s Middle East policy — unless a Palestinian state, which includes Gaza, is established.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief, strongly criticized Trump’s plan on Thursday, calling it a “mad ethnic cleansing plan” that aligns with the far-right agenda in Israel. “It is a fantasy to think that ethnic cleansing in the 21st century can be condoned,” he remarked. He further warned that the plan would lead to “more conflict and more bloodshed,” and urged the international community to address the issue at the United Nations, though he noted that the US veto could prevent any meaningful resolutions from passing.
Trump and Israeli officials have portrayed the relocation as voluntary, but Palestinians have made it clear that they intend to remain in their homeland. Trump and Israeli officials have not outlined what actions they would take if Palestinians refuse to leave. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have condemned the plan, calling it a form of “ethnic cleansing” aimed at forcibly displacing an entire ethnic group from a specific geographic area.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz has reportedly instructed the military to prepare for the potential voluntary emigration of large numbers of Palestinians, with arrangements for exit through land crossings, and possibly by sea and air. However, there have been no signs of such preparations on the ground, and Israeli officials have emphasized that these measures would only apply to Palestinians who choose to leave.
Trump expressed his desire to “permanently” resettle most of Gaza’s population in other countries, while the US would take responsibility for clearing debris and rebuilding the area, envisioning it as a “Riviera of the Middle East” for all people. Although he did not rule out deploying US troops, later statements from US officials suggested that the relocation would be temporary, and no commitment had been made to station American soldiers or use US taxpayer dollars for Gaza’s reconstruction.
Egyptian officials have stated that their country does not believe that the relocation of Palestinians is necessary for Gaza’s rebuilding and remains committed to the idea of establishing a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem — territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. The Israeli government, however, opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state and has said it will maintain long-term security control over both Gaza and the West Bank. Israel also annexed East Jerusalem, a move that is not recognized by most of the international community, and considers the entire city as its capital. During his first term, Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, a highly controversial decision that many saw as legitimizing Israel’s claim to the unified city.
Last week, Egypt convened a meeting with top diplomats from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, countries that were instrumental in the 2020 Abraham Accords brokered by the Trump administration. These five Arab nations all rejected the idea of transferring Palestinians out of Gaza or the West Bank.
In a pointed editorial on Thursday, Egypt’s prominent state-run newspaper, Al-Ahram, warned that “the Arab countries’ independence, their peoples’ unity and their territorial integrity are under grave threat.”
{Matzav.com}