US President says ‘nobody is expelling Palestinians from Gaza,’ reversing earlier comments about emptying the war-torn territory of its population.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s apparent retreat from his earlier proposal to permanently displace over two million Palestinians from Gaza.
The Hamas official’s statement came after Trump clarified on Wednesday that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza” in response to a question during a meeting at the White House with Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
“If US President Trump’s statements represent a retreat from any idea of displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, they are welcomed,” Qassem said in the statement.
“We call for this position to be reinforced by obligating the Israeli occupation to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreements,” he added.
Trump sent shockwaves across the Middle East and beyond last month when he proposed a US takeover of Gaza and suggested that the war-torn territory’s Palestinian population be permanently relocated to neighboring countries.
Trump’s apparent reversal followed a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Qatar on Wednesday with the US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Foreign ministers from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization attended the meeting, according to a statement from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Arab foreign ministers discussed the Gaza reconstruction plan, which was approved at the Arab League Summit held in Cairo on March 4, 2025,” the ministry said.
“They also agreed with the US envoy to continue consultations and coordination on this plan as a foundation for reconstruction efforts in the sector,” it added.
On Saturday, the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) formally adopted a plan for Gaza proposed by the Arab League during an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian-led initiative emerged as a proposal to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority, in response to Trump’s earlier threat to take over Gaza and displace its residents.
Gaza Ceasefire Talks
A new round of ceasefire talks in Gaza began in Qatar on Tuesday, with Witkoff dispatched to Doha to mediate.
“The Arab ministers emphasized the importance of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, stressing the need for genuine efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, ensuring the fulfilment of the Palestinian people’s aspirations for freedom and independence,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry statement added.
On Sunday, Taher al-Nono, a political adviser to the Hamas leadership, confirmed unprecedented, direct talks with Washington in the Qatari capital, focused on the release of an American-Israeli dual national held by the armed group in Gaza.
Al-Nono said the meetings between Hamas leaders and the US hostage negotiator, Adam Boehler, also discussed how to implement the phased ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel aimed at ending the war on Gaza.
The direct discussions between Boehler and Hamas marked a departure from Washington’s decades-old policy against negotiating with groups it classifies as “terrorist organizations.”
A Hamas delegation also met with Egyptian mediators over the past two days, reaffirming its readiness to negotiate the next phase of the ceasefire with Israel. Meanwhile, Israel sent negotiators to Doha on Monday for ceasefire talks.
The 42-day first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal expired earlier this month without Israel’s agreement on subsequent stages meant to secure a lasting end to its war on Gaza.
Israel has since imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, now in its 12th day, which includes cutting off food, fuel, and medicine to the territory. This has been described as an act of collective punishment and Israel’s “weaponization of humanitarian aid” to pressure Hamas.
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