A civilisation has been wiped out in Gaza, says Trump, admitting Israeli genocide

In a startling admission that confirms allegations of genocide in Gaza, US President Donald Trump said that, “A civilisation has been wiped out in Gaza,” during a press conference with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House yesterday.

Trump’s candid remarks about Gaza’s devastation came as he promoted his controversial plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza and take control of the territory. “They’re living in hell… it’s a death trap,” Trump told reporters, describing the unprecedented scale of destruction. “They have been killed like no one’s ever seen.”

Trump’s assertions about Gaza are seen as an unintended admission by the US president that Israel’s conduct in the besieged enclave, where more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, mainly women and children, amounts to genocide.

While attempting to sell his vision for Gaza’s future, Trump added, “We’re going to take it, we’re going to hold it,” as he dismissed concerns raised by journalist about the plan. The president went on to claim that Gaza “can be a diamond” and “a tremendous asset for the Middle East,” in a comment that further confirmed fears that he views Gaza as a real estate deal with no regard for the 2.2 million Palestinians who live there.

READ: Arab plan in place to rebuild Gaza without displacing residents: Jordan

Most of Gaza’s Palestinians are refugees and many have pointed out that if there is any place they should be returned to, it’s their homes in Israel from which they were ethnically cleansed in 1948.

Trump’s plan has met unified opposition across the Middle East. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have firmly rejected Trump’s proposal to displace the Palestinians. Jordan’s King Abdullah, who appeared visibly uncomfortable during the press conference, faces particular pressure as Trump’s plan threatens to destabilise his kingdom.

The situation is especially precarious for Jordan, where approximately half the population is already of Palestinian origin due to previous Israeli ethnic cleansing in 1948 and 1967. Regional experts warn that forcing additional Palestinian refugees into Jordan could collapse the fragile status quo and potentially lead to the overthrow of Abdullah’s government. This would jeopardise both Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel and its role hosting US military installations.

Egypt has warned that any displacement of Palestinians into its territory would threaten its own 1979 peace treaty with Israel. The Saudi government issued an unusually strong statement condemning what it called the “extremist, occupying mentality” behind plans to expel Palestinians from Gaza, with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman intervening personally to express support for Palestinian rights.

Popular reaction across the region has been equally hostile. In Egypt, professional unions and civil society organisations have voiced strong objections, while Jordan has seen major demonstrations supporting King Abdullah’s stance against the plan. Saudi commentators, including Prince Turki Al Faisal, have publicly criticised what he termed a “mad ethnic cleansing plan.”

The unified Arab rejection of Trump’s proposal marks a significant shift from his first administration’s warm reception in the region, with analysts suggesting that his Gaza plan could fundamentally reshape US relations with its traditional Arab allies.

READ: Jordan King rejects Palestinian displacement in White House talks with Trump