Hamas Rejects Trump’s Gaza Plan: "Not for Sale, Not for Transfer”

Hamas has vehemently opposed a reported U.S. proposal under President Donald Trump to place the Gaza Strip under American administrative control for at least a decade. The plan, detailed in a 38-page document, envisions transforming the war-torn territory into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” a hub for tourism and technology. It includes the temporary relocation of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, either to neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan or to secured zones within Gaza, while reconstruction addresses 50 million tons of debris and unexploded ordnance.

Basem Naim, a Hamas political bureau member, declared, “Gaza is not for sale. Gaza is not a city on the map or a forgotten geographic strip, but part of the greater Palestinian homeland.” Another senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously, dismissed the plan as “worthless” and “unjust,” noting that Hamas learned of it only through media reports, not official channels.

The proposal, which aligns with Trump’s February 2025 vision, has drawn widespread condemnation for violating international law prohibiting forced population transfers. Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, rejected the plan, with Egypt’s Foreign Ministry insisting on rebuilding Gaza without displacing Palestinians. Saudi Arabia warned it would not normalize ties with Israel absent a Palestinian state.

The UN and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, labeled the plan a potential war crime, evoking comparisons to the 1948 Nakba, when 750,000 Palestinians were displaced. Israeli far-right leaders, like Bezalel Smotrich, supported the idea, advocating for permanent control, while Netanyahu called it “worth paying attention to.” Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, insists on maintaining its presence, complicating ceasefire talks aimed at freeing the remaining hostages held in Gaza since October 7 2023.