Gaza rejects displacement, but what if it’s imposed?

For decades, the Israeli occupation, backed by Western powers, has sought to liquidate the Palestinian cause through various means, foremost among them forced displacement. Today, these attempts resurface under the framework of the “alternative homeland” project, aiming to empty the Gaza Strip of its population and impose a new demographic reality. Despite the unequivocal Palestinian rejection of this plan and Egypt and Jordan’s efforts to avoid its repercussions, US and Israeli pressures – especially under the policies of US President Donald Trump – persist, offering a glimmer of hope to those seeking to implement it.

But what if forced displacement is imposed on Gaza’s population? Will Tel Aviv achieve its goals of ending the resistance, or will the outcomes be entirely counterproductive?

The geographic expansion of resistance

1. Sinai: A new front for resistance

While the idea of resettling Palestinians in Sinai is not new, it has resurfaced with renewed vigor amid the escalating Israeli aggression on Gaza. Despite Egypt’s official rejection of this scenario, the imposition of displacement could have severe consequences, including:

• Turning Sinai into a new battleground: With seasoned Palestinian fighters whose combat experience has been honed through successive wars, relocating the resistance to Sinai could become a viable option, especially if refugees face repression or harsh conditions there.
• Potential coordination with local armed groups: Despite ideological and operational differences between Palestinian resistance factions and armed groups in Sinai, a shared hostility towards Israel could lead to temporary understandings or limited coordination.
• Drawing Egypt directly into the conflict: Israeli operations targeting Palestinians in Sinai could place Cairo in a politically and security-sensitive position, potentially threatening Egypt’s internal stability and compelling it to adopt a firmer stance against Tel Aviv.

2. Jordan: The return of armed resistance scenarios

If large numbers of Palestinians are forcibly displaced to Jordan, conditions could ripen for the revival of resistance activities within a new context shaped by current dynamics, especially considering Hamas’s significant popularity in Jordan.

• Escalation of popular protests: Forced displacement could spark widespread protests across Jordan, not only among Palestinians but also among Jordanians who oppose such a project.
• Revisiting the Wadi Araba Agreement: Any resurgence of resistance activities within Jordan could put the peace treaty with Israel under mounting public and governmental pressure, potentially leading the Jordanian government to reconsider its ties with Tel Aviv.
• Revival of armed struggle: Displaced Palestinians may view armed resistance as their sole means of reclaiming their rights, reminiscent of the resistance era that shaped Jordan’s landscape in the 1960s and 70s.

Resistance will grow

The forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza – after their legendary resilience – will ignite a wave of outrage both within Palestine and among the diaspora, boosting popular support for armed resistance.

This will in turn increase recruitment to military factions. Palestinian refugees facing harsh living conditions in host countries may view resistance as their only option, leading to heightened recruitment rates.

Any new wave of displacement will galvanise extensive support from Palestinians abroad, both financially and politically, as part of the ongoing narrative of ethnic cleansing that began in 1948.

Displacement: A new phase of confrontation

When the plan to displace Palestinians to Sinai was proposed, Hamas leader Osama Hamdan firmly rejected it, stressing that the resistance would not stand idle in the face of such attempts. His key remarks include:

• Gaza is not for sale: Palestinians categorically reject displacement under any circumstances.
• Fierce resistance: Any attempt to impose displacement will be met with violent resistance, both inside and outside Gaza.
• Catastrophic repercussions: The Sinai proposal is part of Israel’s broader scheme to liquidate the Palestinian cause, but it will fail and have dangerous consequences for the entire region.
• Expanding the battlefield: Resistance will not remain confined to Gaza; confrontations will spread elsewhere, signaling the start of a more complex and widespread phase of conflict.

These statements affirm that forced displacement will not mark the end of resistance but rather the beginning of an even more defiant phase, as Palestinians refuse to become refugees once again.

Why do Gazans return despite the devastation?

Despite displacement attempts, Palestinians in Gaza demonstrate that leaving the Strip equates to uprooting themselves from their identity. We’ve witnessed long lines of displaced individuals returning northward, even though their homes have been reduced to rubble. Nothing awaited them but ruins, yet they insist on returning because they understand that staying on their land – even amid destruction – is the most powerful response to efforts aimed at erasing them.

These scenes reflect the Palestinians’ determination to endure, no matter how harsh the circumstances. Their connection to the land is not merely geographical; it’s deeply woven into their identity and dignity. A people who confront adversity with unyielding resolve cannot choose exile, for homeland – to them – embodies hope, resistance and history.

Will Palestinians surrender?

Even if the occupation succeeds in imposing displacement, will this mark the end of the Palestinian cause? Absolutely not. Just as the Nakba did not erase Palestine but instead birthed generations that carried the torch of resistance, any new wave of displacement will fuel an even more determined phase.

Palestinians do not forget, and every displaced person will pass down the story of return. The keys to homes lost in 1948 remain in the hands of descendants, and today’s images of destruction and displacement will inspire future generations.

Those who believed Palestinians would vanish into exile have discovered that their roots are too deep to be uprooted. Every attempt to eliminate them has produced generations even more committed to their rights.

While forced displacement will trigger unpredictable consequences, potentially becoming a political and security nightmare for the occupation, especially as Palestinians establish themselves in new environments that reshape the nature of the conflict.

As a result, displacement will not bring Israel security, it will ignite the flames of resistance

one where resistance becomes more widespread and harder to contain, posing unprecedented challenges to the Israeli occupation.

The illusions of Trump and Netanyahu regarding the liquidation of the Palestinian cause will shatter against the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, who will never allow displacement schemes to pass, no matter the circumstances.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.