Egypt's Sisi scrambling to respond to Trump's Gaza seizure plan

The announcement by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday that he intends to take over the Gaza Strip for redevelopment has sent shockwaves across Egyptian diplomatic and intelligence circles, but no course of action has yet been planned, Middle East Eye can reveal.

The government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has repeatedly rejected Israeli statements suggesting that Palestinians should be resettled in Egypt. It has also firmly reiterated its support for the two-state solution and opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza since the beginning of Israel's onslaught on the strip in October 2023.

Since his return to the White House on 20 January, Trump has claimed that Egypt and Jordan are open to the idea of relocating Palestinians to their territories.

However, Egypt and Jordan have rejected this plan outright, with their leaders, foreign ministers, and several senior officials expressing their opposition. 

Despite this explicit rejection, Trump alleged last week that he had a phone call with the Egyptian president, during which he directly requested the implementation of his displacement plan. However, no details were provided by Cairo or Washington regarding Sisi’s response.

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