Trump’s remarks fuels fear | Gaza’s Palestinians, displaced several times due to war,  say they may face mass expulsion as in 1948 and become refugees Displaced Palestinians on way to their homes in northern Gaza Strip —AP 

Hamas rejects Trump proposal to take over Gaza Strip

DUBAI: Hamas  has rejected President Donald Trump's “shock announcement” on Gaza. The militant group also denounced Trump's suggestion that Gaza residents should leave the territory. "Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished," Hamas said in a statement. "We reject Trump's statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region."  —AP

AP JERUSALEM

Palestinians fear they may face mass expulsion as they did 77 years ago in 1948 after US President Donald Trump suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and that the United States take "ownership" of the enclave. The spectre of mass expulsion haunts Palestinians in Gaza, rekindling memories of the 1948 Nakba, the "catastrophe" that saw hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. 

The 1948 Arab-Israeli war resulted in the displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians, a significant portion of the pre-war population. This exodus created a refugee crisis that persists even today, with millions of descendants still living in slum-like urban refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel's refusal to allow these refugees to return after the war stemmed from a desire to maintain a Jewish majority within its borders. In Gaza, these refugees and their descendants now comprise roughly three-quarters of the population, making the right of return a central and unresolved issue in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The recent war in Gaza, triggered by the 2023 Hamas attack, has triggered a new wave of displacement, affecting an estimated 1.7 million Palestinians. This number significantly surpasses the displacement of 1948, intensifying anxieties about the future. 

While the international community largely opposes mass expulsion, the sheer scale of destruction in Gaza raises concerns that the territory may become uninhabitable, effectively preventing return. The devastation far exceeds the damage of 1948, presenting a monumental challenge for reconstruction. For many Palestinians, this ongoing displacement and destruction are seen as a continuation of the Nakba, a gradual erosion of their connection to the land.

The echoes of 1948 resonate deeply with those experiencing the current crisis. Individuals like Mustafa al-Gazzar, an octogenarian who experienced both the 1948 displacement and the recent conflict, highlight the enduring trauma. Al-Gazzar’s account of his family's arduous flight in 1948, contrasted with his current displacement to a squalid camp, underscores the deteriorating conditions and the diminishing hope for return. He said, "My hope in 1948 was to return, but my hope today is to survive."

The closure of borders, with Israel sealing its crossings and Egypt limiting entry, further exacerbates the crisis. Egypt's reluctance to open its borders stems from a fear of a mass influx of Palestinians, potentially creating another protracted refugee situation. 

While the international community generally rejects mass expulsion, the idea finds support among certain factions within the Israeli government, who frame it as "voluntary emigration”. Israel's long-standing position has been that the 1948 refugees should be absorbed into host countries, arguing that their return is unrealistic and threatens its character as a Jewish-majority state. 

Even if a mass expulsion is averted, the extensive damage in Gaza casts a long shadow over the possibility of return. The destruction of entire neighborhoods, the obliteration of infrastructure, and the presence of unexploded ordnance create formidable obstacles. Estimates suggest that rebuilding Gaza’s housing alone could take until 2040.

Experts like Yara Asi, a Palestinian professor at the University of Central Florida, say  the future of Gaza and its people hangs precariously in the balance, overshadowed by the unresolved legacy of past displacements and the immense challenges of rebuilding shattered lives and communities.