The writer is an economist, anchor, geopolitical analyst and
the President of All Pakistan Private Schools’ Federation
president@Pakistanprivateschools.com
United States President Donald Trump has revealed a controversial plan to assume control of the Gaza Strip, following the forcible relocation of Palestinians, raising concerns about endorsing ethnic cleansing. Initially, Trump’s remarks about Gaza being a “demolition site” and needing to “clean out that whole thing” seemed impulsive. However, his intent has become clear, especially during discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under international law, the forcible transfer of populations is strictly forbidden. This proposal is viewed by Palestinians and Arab nations as an explicit move towards their expulsion and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homeland. The UN Human Rights chief has condemned Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza and forcibly relocate its Palestinian population, highlighting that such actions would breach international law. The timing of this announcement could disrupt the ongoing ceasefire negotiations aimed at releasing hostages and prisoners, ending hostilities, and the reconstruction of Gaza, all while adhering to international humanitarian and human rights laws. Trump suggested that Palestinians would be eager to leave Gaza, envisioning a long-term U.S. management of the region, promising economic development and job creation. However, this vision starkly contrasts with international legal standards, which protect the right to self-determination and prohibit such actions without consent. While Trump sees this as a path to peace and prosperity, the international community, including long-standing U.S. allies. The suffering in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel demands a resolution based on dignity and equality, which this plan seems to undermine. The concept of the “MAGA Strip” appears to be a term coined in the context of recent statements by President Donald Trump regarding U.S. involvement in the Gaza Strip. Trump has suggested relocating the Palestinian population from Gaza to neighbouring countries, with the idea of not allowing them to return, aiming to “clean out” the area. After relocating the population, Trump proposed that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip, “level the site,” remove unexploded ordnances, and rebuild it into an economic development zone. He described it as potentially becoming “the Riviera of the Middle East,” suggesting a transformation into a prosperous area with jobs and housing. In the intricate tapestry of Middle Eastern geopolitics, the recent pronouncements by President Donald Trump regarding the Gaza Strip have sent ripples of concern and condemnation across the globe. His proposal to ‘clean out’ Gaza by relocating over a million Palestinians to neighbouring countries like Jordan and Egypt has not only provoked a storm of ethical debate but also threatens to undo decades of diplomatic efforts toward peace in the region. Trump also ended his predecessor’s hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. A 2,000-pound bomb has a destruction radius of 35 metres, according to the Project on Defense Alternatives (PDA). Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US aid since its founding. The US has historically supplied substantial foreign aid to Israel; a total of $297bn between 1946 and 2023, $216bn of which was in military aid and $81bn in economic aid, according to data from the US Agency for International Aid (USAID). The recent declarations by President Donald Trump to rescind Biden-era sanctions against Israeli settlers implicated in violent clashes in the occupied West Bank has sparked profound consternation. Furthermore, Trump’s proposition to relocate over a million Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries, such as Jordan and Egypt, has been met with vehement opposition from Palestinian politicians, who condemn it as a blatant attempt at ethnic cleansing. This contentious plan would not only contravene the longstanding US stance that Gaza should remain an integral part of a future Palestinian state but also align the Trump administration with Israel’s radical far-right politicians, who advocate for the displacement of Palestinians to facilitate Jewish settlement.
Trump’s plan is indeed “Gaza Gamble,” showcasing a reckless disregard for international laws, defying global consensus, challenging the very foundations of the international order. With Gaza on the brink, that Trump’s strategy not only undermines global justice but also poses a significant challenge to the rules-based order that governs international relations
Trump’s comments appear to break with decades of US foreign policy, which has long emphasized a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. There has long been a fear in the region that Israel wants to push Palestinians out of Gaza into neighbouring countries — a premise Israel rejects but one supported by far-right factions of its governing coalition. The demographic of Gaza is predominantly Palestinian, many of whom are descendants of those displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, known to Palestinians as the “Nakba” or catastrophe. The narrative of Gaza is one of conflict, displacement, and resilience. There are some 5.9 million Palestinian refugees worldwide, most of them descendants of people who fled with the creation of Israel in 1948. They are descendants of some of the approximately 750,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes in the conflicts surrounding the formation of Israel in 1948. Trump’s move was not a slip of the tongue but part of a much broader move than it seems, coordinated with Israel. More than 57,200 Palestinians, the majority civilians, have been killed in Israel’s offensive, Gaza’s health ministry says. Israeli airstrikes have damaged or destroyed around 80% of buildings, including schools and hospitals, and around 92% of homes, according to the UN. Approximately 90% of Gaza residents have been displaced, and many have been forced to move repeatedly, some more than 10 times, according to the UN. The United Nations has previously estimated that 60% of structures across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and it could take decades to rebuild. Most of Gaza’s two million residents have been displaced in the war, which has flattened much of Gaza’s infrastructure. Thousands of Palestinians have fled to Egypt since the war with Israel began, but they are not recognised there as refugees. As of January 2025, there were 877,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered in Egypt, according to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency. In May, the Palestinian ambassador in Cairo, Diab al-Louh, said as many as 100,000 Gazans had crossed into Egypt since the war began. In Jordan, more than 2.39 million Palestine refugees are registered with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Gaza has been under various degrees of Israeli control, though Israel officially withdrew in 2005. However, Israel maintains control over Gaza’s borders, sea, and air, effectively turning it into what many describe as an open-air prison. Trump’s recent plan echoes the fears of another mass exodus akin to the Nakba, which saw approximately 700,000 Palestinians either flee or be forcibly expelled from their homes in what became Israel. Some on Israel’s far-right want to return to Gaza and establish settlements there. Israel ordered a unilateral pullout in 2005, with 21 settlements dismantled and about 9,000 settlers evacuated by the army. In October 2023, protests erupted in both countries in support of Palestinians in Gaza, with many showing disgruntlement with their governments’ cooperation with Israel given the high human toll Israel’s war had taken. Accepting a Palestinian population transfer would be more costly for the two countries than losing the American aid both countries rely on. Such actions threaten stability, risk extending the conflict further in the region, and undermine opportunities for peace and coexistence. The international community to support reaching a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A ceasefire is being observed in Gaza after a deal between Israel and Hamas to halt the war. Trump’s vision and proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza to ‘clean out the whole thing’ not only defies the long-established two-state solution but also aligns with the most radical elements within Israel’s political spectrum, who advocate for territorial expansion at the expense of Palestinian rights. Palestinian leaders and international human rights organizations have labeled this plan as ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, drawing parallels with historical attempts to erase Palestinian presence from their homeland. The sheer scale of moving around 1.5 million people would be catastrophic, leading to humanitarian, legal, and moral crises. For Jordan and Egypt, accepting such a refugee influx would be politically, economically, and socially destabilizing. Jordan, already home to over 2.39 million Palestinian refugees, risks further demographic shifts that could threaten its internal stability and the Hashemite monarchy’s grip on power. Egypt, similarly, has been vocal about rejecting any forced displacement, fearing it could jeopardize its peace treaty with Israel and lead to significant internal unrest. The forced displacement of an entire population contravenes international law, which supports the right of return for refugees. Trump’s suggestion undermines the fundamental human rights of Palestinians to live in peace and dignity in their homeland. The situation in Gaza today is dire. This backdrop of devastation makes any talk of relocation not just impractical but inhumane.
In the noble pursuit of peace and justice, it is incumbent upon all parties engaged in conflict within the sacred lands of Palestine to adhere strictly to the venerable principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Firstly, military operations must scrupulously distinguish between combatants and the innocent populace, ensuring the principle of distinction is upheld to minimize civilian suffering. In adherence to Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, all individuals detained in this strife must be treated with the utmost humanity, free from any torture or degrading treatment. To safeguard the dignity and rights of the people of Gaza under the aegis of international and humanitarian law, it falls upon Israel, as the occupying power, to fulfill its obligations under Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention by ensuring the provision of food, water, electricity, and medical supplies. The blockade must be eased or lifted to allow these vital necessities to flow freely into Gaza. Additionally, the international community must honor commitments such as the Ottawa Treaty, banning the use of anti-personnel mines, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which outlaws weapons that indiscriminately harm, thus preserving the integrity of human life and the environment. Let there be no actions that might be considered collective punishment, such as the withholding of essential services, which is expressly forbidden by Article 33 of the same Convention. Military operations must strictly distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, ensuring proportionality in the pursuit of military objectives as dictated by International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Moreover, the actions of war must never precipitate excessive harm to non-combatants, in strict observance of the principle of proportionality, where the military advantage must clearly outweigh the sorrow inflicted upon the civilian community. It is also imperative that safe and unhindered pathways for humanitarian aid be established, fulfilling the obligations set forth by the Geneva Conventions, which mandate relief operations to reach those in desperate need. The sanctity of humanitarian workers must be respected, and their neutrality and impartiality as decreed by IHL must be acknowledged, providing them with security to execute their benevolent duties. Prisoners of war and other detainees are entitled to the protections delineated in the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, which include rights to communicate with their families, access to legal counsel, and the assurance of a just trial. Hospitals, clinics, and ambulances, which bear the emblem of humanity, must be shielded under the protections of the Geneva Conventions. Cultural treasures and civil infrastructure, such as schools and water facilities, should be preserved from military utilization or attack, in accordance with the 1954 Hague Convention. Those detained must be treated with humaneness, granted access to legal counsel, family communication, and safeguarded from torture or any form of cruel treatment, as affirmed by the Geneva Conventions and Human Rights Law. Military actions should not target or impair health services. Movements of people out of conflict zones must be voluntary and secure, with forced displacement strictly avoided, and conditions for their safe return established promptly, upholding the principle of non-refoulement. Furthermore, independent inquiries into alleged breaches of IHL or human rights must be established or supported, ensuring accountability for any war crimes or crimes against humanity. The international community, through bodies like the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and international courts, should vigilantly monitor the situation, document infringements, and advocate strenuously for adherence to international law, thus fostering a path towards peace and justice for Gaza. In the pursuit of justice and peace, let us heed the clarion call of the United Nations, where numerous resolutions, from Resolution 242 to the more recent ones, have underscored the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The vision of a two-state solution, endorsed by the international community, offers a beacon of hope for a land where both Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in peace and security, each with their own sovereign state. This noble aim is reinforced by the principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), particularly the Geneva Conventions, which demand that Israel, as the occupying power, provide for the basic human needs of the inhabitants of Gaza, ensuring the supply of food, water, and medical aid as per Article 55. Let no blockade hinder the humanitarian lifeline, for collective punishment is anathema to Article 33. Let us champion the oversight of the UN, the scrutiny of international courts, and the advocacy of non-governmental organizations to ensure accountability. Trump’s plan is indeed “Gaza Gamble,” showcasing a reckless disregard for international laws, defying global consensus, and challenging the very foundations of the international order. With Gaza on the brink, Trump’s strategy not only undermines global justice but also poses a significant challenge to the rules-based order that governs international relations, a threat to peace and international laws. Let us commit to these international laws and resolutions, not merely in word, but in deed, to usher in an era where justice prevails, and the dream of two states, side by side, becomes a reality for all to embrace.