Gazans in Egypt resist displacement and contemplate return

Amid the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians who sought refuge in Egypt are facing the dilemma of when, or if, they will return home. Despite the uncertainty, they strongly reject the idea of mass displacement as proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

“A lot of people are torn, and I am one of them,” said Shorouk, a Palestinian woman who makes a living selling traditional food in Cairo, known as Gaza Girl. “Do you go back to the destruction, to a place that still needs rebuilding, or stay and return when it’s reconstructed?”

Though uncertain of her return, Shorouk insists that Palestinians should not be accepted as residents outside their homeland. “We, the people of Gaza, can only live in Gaza,” she asserted. “If they give us residencies, the cause will be lost.”

Trump’s controversial plan to relocate a significant portion of Gaza’s population to Egypt and Jordan has faced widespread condemnation across the Arab world, with critics labeling it a form of ethnic cleansing. Trump remarked on the plan, saying, “You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.” When asked whether it would be a temporary or long-term solution, he stated, “Could be either.”

Egypt, however, has strongly rejected any such mass displacement, with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling it an “act of injustice.” Despite this stance, around 100,000 Palestinians already reside in Egypt, uncertain of when or how they might return home.

During the war, Gaza’s border with Egypt was largely closed, leaving most of the 2.3 million residents homeless and forced to seek refuge in temporary shelters. Some Palestinians were allowed to leave, including those with foreign passports, their immediate family members, or those in need of urgent medical care. However, most have no long-term legal permission to stay in Egypt, viewing their current circumstances as temporary, often relying on small trade or savings. The ceasefire, which began in January, has done little to clarify their future.

Some refugees are eager to return to Gaza as soon as it is possible. “There is nothing better than one’s country and land,” said Hussien Farahat, a father of two.

However, for others, the decision is more complicated. “Even if the war were over, we still do not know our fate, and nobody has mentioned the situation of those stranded in Cairo,” said Abeer Kamal, who has been living in Cairo since November 2023 and works selling handmade bags with her sisters. “My house is gone, my family is gone, nothing is left.”

The conflict in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched an attack on Israeli towns, has resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction. Israel’s military campaign was in response to the attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

While Gazans in Egypt have varied views on returning, they unanimously reject Trump’s proposed displacement. “This is our land, and it’s not his to control us,” said Fares Mahmoud, a Gazan in Cairo. “It’s our land, we leave it and go back to it when we want.”

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