Thousands of Palestinians living in Egypt are grappling with the decision of when to return home to Gaza, despite rejecting a proposal by US President Donald Trump to clear out the population and resettle them in Egypt. The plan, which aims to remove up to 1.5 million Palestinians from Gaza, has been widely condemned as an act of ethnic cleansing.
Gazans in Cairo, where many have settled, express mixed feelings about returning home. Some, like Shorouk, who sells Palestinian food, say they cannot bear the thought of rebuilding in a war-torn territory. Others, such as Hussien Farahat, who has lost his home and is struggling to provide for his family, yearn to return to their homeland.
Despite Egypt’s promise to reject any mass displacement proposal, many Gazans face uncertainty about their future. With no clear timeline for their return or guarantee of safety upon arrival, they are forced to weigh the risks against the desire to reconnect with their roots.
“We cannot live without our land,” said Abeer Kamal, who has lived in Cairo since November 2022 and sells handmade bags with her sisters. “There is nothing, not my house, or my family, or siblings, nothing.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to take a devastating toll on Gaza’s population, with thousands displaced and killed. Gazans in Egypt reject any plan that would force them to leave their homes, saying it’s not Trump’s place to control them.
Egypt has also rejected the proposal, with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling it an “act of injustice.” However, the status of many Palestinian refugees remains uncertain, leaving them to navigate a complex and uncertain future.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gazans-egypt-reject-displacement-grapple-with-decision-when-go-home-2025-02-03