King Abdullah II of Jordan has expressed a non-committal stance on taking Palestinians from Gaza.
This came during a press conference with US President Donald Trump after the Jordanian King met him at the White House.
Asked about his thoughts on having the US control the Gaza Strip, King Abdullah responded to not “get ahead of ourselves.”
“The President is looking at Egypt coming to present their plan, we will be in Saudi Arabia to discuss how we can work with the President and with the United States.
“So I think let’s wait until the Egyptians can come and present it to the President and not get ahead of ourselves.”
King Abdullah II
Asked about taking in Palestinians, he said that he had to do what is best for his country. “The point is how to make this work in a way that is good for everybody,” he said, without explicitly supporting or opposing Trump’s plan.
Nonetheless, the King offered to take 2,000 sick children from Gaza.
He said that “one of the things we can do right away” is bring 2,000 children who are in a “very ill state” to Jordan as quickly as possible.
In response to the offer, Trump said, “that’s a really beautiful gesture.”
On his part, Trump reiterated that Gaza would be under US authority and that the population there would be relocated. “With the United States being in control of that piece of land, you can have stability in the Middle East for the first time,” Trump said.
President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the United States would be able to work out an arrangement with Egypt to take in Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as he aims to take control of the region.
“The Palestinians, or the people that live now in Gaza, will be living beautifully in another location. They’re going to be living safely. They’re not going to be killed, murdered, and having to leave every 10 years.
“We’re going to be able to work something, and I know we’ll be able to work something also with, I believe, not, not 100%, but 99% we’re going to work out something with Egypt.”
Donald Trump
Trump suggested that he wouldn’t withhold US aid to Jordan or countries like Egypt, other Arab nations, if they don’t agree to increase the number of people from Gaza they take in.
“I don’t have to threaten with money. We contribute a lot of money to Jordan and to Egypt, by the way, a lot to both, but I don’t have to threaten that, I do think we’re above that.”
Donald Trump
Trump Doubts Hamas Will Meet Saturday Deadline
Moreover, President Donald Trump said that he harbored some doubt as to whether Hamas will adhere to his imposed Saturday, February 15, 2025, deadline to return hostages or face “all hell” breaking lose in Gaza.
“And you know, I have a Saturday deadline, and I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline personally. I think they, they want to play tough guy, but we’ll see how tough they are.”
Donald Trump
He previously said he doubts whether many of the hostages are still alive.
Trump added that “all bets are off” in regard to the ceasefire if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages by Saturday.
“I think they want to time because I think the people they have living are in such bad shape because they are sending the most healthy people out. Because they don’t want to send the least healthy people out. And there was an uproar when they saw the people from yesterday. They either have them out by Saturday at 12:00, or all bets are off.”
Donald Trump
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