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What if Palestinians want to leave Gaza?
President Trump recently shocked the world by proposing that the United States take over Gaza and that displaced Gazans should be resettled elsewhere. On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour pushes back, arguing that Palestinians are deeply tied to their land and will not abandon it—even in ruins. Mansour highlights the 450,000 Palestinians who marched back to North Gaza despite the destruction, illustrating their unwavering commitment to their homeland. “We have very, very strong attachment to the land, whether it is you have a palace on it or whether it is destroyed,” he says.
Mansour also warns that efforts to encourage Palestinian relocation—whether voluntary or forced—are part of a broader strategy to erase Palestinian identity. “The Zionist movement has been working all along to push the idea that Palestine is a land without a people,” he asserts, rejecting any large-scale displacement plans. Instead, he advocates for temporary housing solutions within Gaza as reconstruction begins. This exchange is part of a larger interview that Ian Bremmer filmed with Ambassador Mansour for the latest episode of GZERO World.
Watch full episode: Who gets to decide Gaza's future?
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
Who gets to decide Gaza's future?
President Trump stunned the world when he proposed that the United States take over Gaza and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," suggesting that displaced Gazans should be resettled elsewhere. America’s Middle Eastern allies have widely rejected the proposal, but what does it mean for the future of Gaza and its people? On GZERO World, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour joins Ian Bremmer to discuss Trump’s remarks, the realities of displacement, and what Palestinians want.
Mansour pushes back against the idea that Gazans should leave, pointing to the hundreds of thousands who have already returned to their devastated homes despite the destruction. He emphasizes the deep connection Palestinians have to their land, saying, “We have a very, very strong attachment to the land, whether it is you have a palace on it, or whether it is destroyed.” He also warns that forced displacement—no matter how it’s framed—creates instability for both Palestinians and neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan, which have rejected any large-scale resettlement plans.
Beyond Trump’s proposal, Bremmer and Mansour examine Gaza's broader political future, the stalled peace process, and the challenges of rebuilding after the war. With global powers like China expressing interest in Palestinian statehood and an upcoming international conference on a two-state solution, could diplomatic momentum finally shift in Palestine’s favor? Mansour remains cautious but hopeful, acknowledging that “it gets so dark early in the morning before we see the sunlight.”
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
Graphic Truth: The only ways in and out of Gaza
When you hear reports that people in the Gaza Strip are trapped, you may not realize just how literally to take it.
The fact is that even before Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, people in Gaza had only one path into Israel, the Erez Crossing. Prior to the war, about 18,500 Palestinians there held work permits in Israel, a lucrative opportunity considering about half of Gazans are unemployed and the rest earn an average of $13 a day. Many of those workers, having traveled across the border on Oct. 7 to work, now find themselves stuck in Israel, without legal status, their futures uncertain.
The Kerem Shalom crossing – practically on the tripoint of the Israel-Egypt-Gaza border – is usually how Gaza exchanges goods with Israel. All the fuel for Gaza’s lone power plant entered through Kerem Shalom, which Israel has now cut off. The only way into Egypt, the Rafah Crossing, has become the sole lifeline supplying food, water, and medicine for 2.3 million people. When Israel built the complex barrier surrounding Gaza, it included four additional crossings, which it closed one by one between 2005 and 2011.
Fleeing by sea or air is impossible. Israeli warships ensure Gazans with boats stick to the small area designated for fishing, and there are no modern port facilities in the enclave. Gaza briefly had its own international airport, near Kerem Shalom, but Israel bombed it in 2001 and bulldozed the runway in 2002 during the second intifada.
So when you hear broadcasters say Rafah is the only way into or out of Gaza, that’s not an exaggeration — nor are they exaggerating the tremendous deadly toll civilians will suffer if Israel launches a ground invasion.