As the EU resumes its Rafah border mission, Egyptians protest Trump’s call to displace Palestinians from Gaza.
The EU resumed its Rafah Border crossing mission on Friday connecting the southern Gaza Strip to Egypt which will allow the transfer of Palestinians who need medical care out of Gaza.
“Europe is here to help: the EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah Crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on X.
Europe is here to help: the EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah Crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis.
It will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care pic.twitter.com/vDXVG0T43B
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 31, 2025
The mission “will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care,” Kallas added.
The Rafah crossing, a vital route for humanitarian aid into Gaza, has been closed since May 2024 after Israel’s ground offensive began in the southern city.
Since then, humanitarian aid has, at times, been allowed into the Palestinian enclave through the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.
Trump’s Statements Slammed
Meanwhile, thousands of Egyptians have marched toward the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, in protest at US President Donald Trump’s recent proposal that Palestinians in the enclave be displaced to Egypt and Jordan.
The protesters, representing various Egyptian political forces, parties, unions, and civil society groups, were united in their opposition to Trump’s statements, the Egypt Today news site reported.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One last Saturday “I’d like Egypt to take people, and I’d like Jordan to take people.”
Thousands of Egyptians gather for a mass rally at the #Rafah border crossing, rejecting #Trump‘s statements on the displacement of Palestinians from #Gaza#TrumpNoDisplacement pic.twitter.com/ERLYFqjKYG
— مصر 🇪🇬 Egypt (@engazatmasr2020) January 31, 2025
He added: “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, we just clean out that whole thing.”
One of the protesters on Friday said “The people of Egypt are responding to Trump’s threat,” adding, “This is not just a protest; it is a message of unwavering support for Gaza and its people.”
Another protester said Trump’s proposal “would effectively be a liquidation of the Palestinian cause,” noting that it would also violate Palestinians’ fundamental right to self-determination, reported Al Mayadeen.
#TrumpNoDisplacement Trending
Trending on social media was the hashtag #TrumpNoDisplacement, which reflects the public outcry and widespread rejection of the plan, the report added.
On Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi firmly opposed Trump’s suggestion, calling it an “act of injustice” that would endanger Egypt’s security.
‘Palestine is for Palestinians’ – Jordan Rejects Trump’s Call to Resettle Gaza Population
During a press conference alongside Kenyan President William Ruto, el-Sisi reportedly said Egypt was committed to facilitating a resolution in Palestine based on a “two-state” solution.
“Regarding what is being said about the displacement of Palestinians, it can never be tolerated or allowed because of its impact on Egyptian national security,” he declared. “The deportation or displacement of the Palestinian people is an injustice in which we cannot participate.”
Jordan also rejected any talk of the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza.
“All talk about an alternative homeland … is unacceptable. We do not accept it, we have not accepted it, and we will continue to confront it with all our capabilities,” Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the parliament on Monday.
Displaced Return North
Since Monday, around one million displaced Palestinians have been making the journey back home to the north of the besieged enclave, under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
“Trump is dreaming if he thinks any of us will go to Egypt or Jordan…”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians march across the Netzarim axis asserting their right of return to the north of Gaza.
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) January 27, 2025
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 47,035 Palestinians have been killed, and 111,091 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.
(PC, Anadolu, Al Maydeen)
