Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to find refuge as Israel bombs the area in retaliation for a Hamas attack. There are questions about why Egypt and Jordan are not offering help despite being nearby. Jordan already has a large Palestinian population. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt, suggested that Israel should host the Palestinians in its desert until the war is over.
According to Riccardo Fabiani, the lack of clarity about Israel's intentions in Gaza is concerning. Cairo has destroyed the tunnels used to smuggle goods into Gaza and fears a security problem in the region. El-Sisi warned about the possibility of destroying the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty and fears a mass exodus of Palestinian refugees to Egypt.
Israel stated that Palestinians could return to their homes in southern Gaza after the war, but this does not reassure Egypt. El-Sisi suggests it could take years and fears that a large population of Palestinian refugees might remain permanently. Egypt does not want to be complicit in an ethnic cleansing in Gaza and fears a possible elimination of the Palestinian cause.
The history of Palestinian displacement has been a recurring theme, especially since the creation of Israel in 1948. The Palestinian diaspora has led people to build lives in various Arab and western countries. Currently, fears persist in the region about how the war in Gaza will end and what will happen to its civilian population. Negotiations and cooperation among the parties involved are crucial to prevent further suffering in the region.
