Thousands of Egyptians gathered in Rafah, near the border with Gaza, in a powerful display of solidarity, rejecting former US President Donald Trump’s proposal to forcibly displace Palestinians from their homeland.

On Friday, 31 January, Egyptian demonstrators rallied at the Rafah border crossing, denouncing what they called “attempts to erase the Palestinian cause.” Their voices echoed a resounding rejection of any forced expulsion of Palestinians, standing firmly against Trump’s suggestion to relocate Gaza’s population to neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.

From the early hours of the morning, buses carried Egyptians from across the country to the border town of Rafah in North Sinai. Among the demonstrators were parliamentarians, political figures, and members of trade unions, all united in their refusal to allow the forced displacement of Palestinians. Waving Egyptian and Palestinian flags, the protesters chanted, “No to displacement… We stand with you,

Mr President,” affirming their support for Cairo’s stance against Trump’s proposal.
On Saturday, Trump suggested that Gaza’s residents could be transferred to Egypt and Jordan, either “temporarily or permanently.” In response, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared on Wednesday that “the deportation or displacement of the Palestinian people is an injustice we cannot be part of.” Similarly, Jordan’s King Abdullah II rejected any forced expulsion of Palestinians. Yet, despite their firm stance, Trump insisted that both nations would eventually comply, claiming, “They will do it. We do a lot for them, and they will do it.”

Egyptian protesters condemned the proposal as a blatant violation of Palestinians’ right to self-determination, warning that displacement is not a solution but a continuation of decades of oppression. They called instead for the realisation of a just resolution based on pre-1967 borders, rejecting any schemes that would facilitate Israel’s expansionist ambitions.

Trump’s remarks have sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders, the United Nations, and Arab nations, as his proposal dangerously aligns with Israel’s long-standing objective of forcibly removing Palestinians and replacing them with illegal settlers. Analysts warn that such a plan would grant Israel the pretext it seeks to permanently depopulate Gaza and entrench its colonial project.

The 2.3 million people of Gaza have already endured relentless displacement, with entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. After months of unprecedented devastation, on 15 January, Israel—having failed to achieve any of its declared war objectives, including the destruction of the Palestinian resistance and the release of captives—was forced to accept a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.