Many Gazans are descendants of people who fled or were driven from their homes in 1948 during the creation of the state of Israel – a period Palestinians call the Nakba, the Arabic word for catastrophe.
The thought of another will be too painful for many and they will cling to their reduced lives in what remains of Gaza with a fierce determination.
For Palestinians who dream of a state of their own, alongside Israel, the loss of part of it will feel like an amputation.
Gaza has been physically separated from the West Bank since 1948. Previous rounds of negotiations, as well as Trump’s 2020 “Vision for Peace”, included plans for tunnels or railways that might link the two.
Now Trump is basically telling the Palestinians to give up on Gaza once and for all.
While he does not appear to be advocating the forced deportation of civilians – which is against international law – Trump is clearly encouraging Palestinians to leave.
Palestinian officials have already accused Israel of blocking the supply of tens of thousands of caravans which could help Gazans to stay put in less damaged parts of the territory while reconstruction takes place elsewhere.
The Arab countries who Trump says should accept as many as 1.8 million Gazan refugees, mainly Egypt and Jordan, have expressed outrage.
Both have enough problems of their own without this added burden.
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