Palestinians are returning home to northern Gaza, though hardly any structure of their homes still stands. Their hospitals, schools and other basic infrastructure have been reduced to rubble in the wake of incessant and systematic bombardment by Israeli forces. Yet, amid the destruction, scenes of tearful reunions have been witnessed almost daily since the cease-fire came into force. The most telling fact about the return of a fragile peace in the area is that the devastated millions of Palestinians would rather rebuild their homes from the ruins than seek new settlements in Egypt, Jordan or anywhere else as proposed by US President Donald Trump. If forced to accept, that would be a repetition of the “nakba” – catastrophe – that the Palestinians had faced way back in 1948 when Israel was recreated.
It is also significant that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is a real estate investor and a donor of Trump’s election campaign, who was in Gaza to assess the ground situation. The real intent of Trump’s proposal is clouded in mystery. No one is certain but it may be possible Trump is trying to please the Far-Right ruling Israeli faction posing as a friend of the displaced millions of Palestinians uprooted from their homes in Gaza for the past few months of Israeli depredation. There is also speculation whether in the name of rebuilding Trump wants to secure contracts for the US real estate business in which his family has a large share. At the end of his trip to the region 30 January, Witkoff said “almost nothing left” of Gaza and rebuilding the war-ravaged enclave could take 10 to 15 years. According to his report, people are moving north of Gaza to get back to their homes and see what happened. There is neither water nor electricity there.
His assessment comes days after Trump floated the idea that some Arab nations should get involved with and build “housing at a different location where they (Gazans) can maybe live in peace for a change.” Any suggestion that Palestinians leave Gaza, the territory they want to form part of an independent state, has been anathema to the Palestinian leadership for generations and repeatedly rejected by neighbouring Arab states since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Witkoff’s claim that he had not discussed with Trump the idea of moving Palestinians from Gaza seems to have been meant for public consumption alone.
Also interesting to note is the fact that none of the neighbouring Muslim countries that were shedding tears for Palestinian brethren has come forward with tangible assurances, leaving aside actual funds, for the reconstruction of the hugely damaged enclave.
It is anybody’s guess how long it would take to rebuild Gaza and that cannot be an excuse for displacing the Palestinians who suspect it to be part of the old game of driving them away from their homes, never to get back. A UN damage assessment released this month showed that clearing over 50 million tons of rubble left in the aftermath of Israel’s bombardment could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion. The debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos, with some refugee camps struck during the war known to have been built with the material. It is also likely that the rubble may have human remains. The Palestinian Ministry of Health estimates that 10,000 bodies are missing under the debris which is quite likely.
The displaced Palestinians are mostly on foot, travelling through areas now majorly in ruins after 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas. About a million people were ordered out of northern Gaza as the Israeli offensive began in October 2023 following Hamas’ attack on Israel.
While the terrible wrongs Hamas has done can never be condoned, its assertion that the Palestinians returning to their homes en masse is a repudiation of any suggestion of mass deportation is no exaggeration. Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou claims the scenes represent another failure of the occupation in achieving the goals of the war of extermination and destruction.
It may indeed be a message of defiance to any new attempt to displace them but the cost to the innocents who never had anything to do with the Hamas as an organization is mind-boggling. Trump’s advice might be the best way forward for inhabitants of Gaza. Either they move their homes and lives far away or actively act against terror outfits like Hamas and Hezbollah. This stark choice now befalls the people of Gaza.