Gaza: Between the departure of Hamas and the displacement of its residents

How have the challenges surrounding Gaza shifted so quickly from the removal of Hamas to the forced displacement of its entire population?
Hamas has once again miscalculated future developments, particularly regarding Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency. The group stalled or delayed negotiations for nearly nine months before reaching a resolution. However, with the change in leadership in Washington, Hamas’ chances have diminished, while the suffering of Gaza’s residents continues.
President Trump is unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden. He has decided to undo everything his predecessor sought to achieve. A clear example of this is that instead of focusing on removing Hamas, he has introduced the idea of displacing the people of Gaza.
Certainly, Trump’s plan to expel 2 million people is unrealistic, violates international law and lacks support — even within his own administration and in Congress. However, this does not necessarily mean he will be deterred from attempting to implement it, unless Arab leaders, in their upcoming meetings with him, succeed in persuading him to abandon the idea.
Initially, the issue at hand was halting the destruction of Gaza and liberating it from both Israel and Hamas. But now it has escalated into a different crisis that threatens Gaza, the West Bank, Egypt and Jordan. Even if Trump ultimately backs down from his proposal, any conflict with Egypt and Jordan would have serious repercussions for both countries and the broader region.
With the presidential transition in the US and Benjamin Netanyahu’s successful efforts to mend his relationship with Trump, I fear that Gaza is at risk of facing a second round of war. Hamas refuses to leave, while Israel still has the desire and military capability to continue fighting for another year.
Ultimately, Israel will succeed in eliminating what remains of Hamas, having already destroyed or killed much of what was left in the Strip.
This presents Hamas with another opportunity to correct past mistakes and make a responsible decision in the interests of the 2 million people who have endured immense suffering as a consequence of its Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Despite claims of victory, the people of Gaza know the truth better than anyone else. The Palestinian Authority regained control of Gaza in 2005 and, under an agreement, settlements were dismantled and all settlers were removed.
Following the destruction Gaza has suffered, Hamas has the ability to thwart efforts for the mass displacement of its people. It can negotiate its own departure in exchange for halting Trump’s plan. The choice, therefore, is either Hamas or 2 million Palestinians.

Hamas has once again miscalculated future developments, particularly regarding Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency.

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed

The Israelis see the armed movement as a vulnerability they can exploit to advance their agenda. At the same time, they seek to prevent any strengthening of the Palestinian Authority or the establishment of any non-Israeli governance in Gaza, as well as any progress toward a two-state solution. Hamas, or at least its Achilles’ heel — its stubbornness — will ultimately assist Netanyahu in securing the support he needs from Trump for his military projects and political changes, which he may still wish to pursue.
Will Hamas prioritize responsibility over populism and take the necessary steps to shift Trump’s plan from displacement to reconstruction?
Additionally, there will be no funding for Gaza’s reconstruction, regardless of any promises made, as long as international and Arab donors believe that the possibility of another war remains open. In the past, hundreds of millions of dollars were spent rebuilding Gaza, only for conflicts with Israel to destroy everything that had been constructed.

• Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is a Saudi journalist and intellectual. He is the former general manager of Al-Arabiya news channel and former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, where this article was originally published. X: @aalrashed