Palestinian Resistance Groups Send Message to Trump: ‘No Migration Except to Jerusalem’ in Response to Ethnic Cleansing Plans
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Palestinian resistance groups have sent a message to U.S. President Donald Trump in response to his proposal to “take over” Gaza and forcibly expel its residents, declaring, “No migration except to Jerusalem,” while handing over three Israeli captives.
Palestinian resistance groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, handed over on Saturday morning three Israeli captives, American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexandre Troufanov and Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn, to the International Red Cross as part of the sixth prisoner exchange deal under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
The handover took place in Khan Younis in southern Gaza near the home of late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, amidst a heavy presence of fighters from both movements with full military gear.
Members of Al-Qassam Brigades and Al-Quds Brigades hand over three Israeli captives to the International Red Cross as part of the sixth batch of the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the resistance. pic.twitter.com/KZ6q13UVvU
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 15, 2025
Civilians could be seen behind them, standing on the rubble of destroyed buildings.
The captives stood alongside resistance fighters on a platform with the writing “O Jerusalem, Bear Witness: We Are Your Soldiers,” “We Crossed Over Swiftly” and “No migration except to Jerusalem,” where a handover agreement was signed between a Hamas representative and the Red Cross.
Following the release of the captives, Hamas said in a statement, “We say to the world there is no migration except to Jerusalem. This is our response to Trump’s calls for displacement and liquidation, and to the colonial and occupying powers that support his agenda.”
A source from Al-Qassam Brigades told Al Jazeera that the brigades presented Israeli prisoner Sagui Dekel Chen, who is set to be released today, a golden coin as a gift for his daughter, who was born four months after his capture. pic.twitter.com/ng6IsBcANH
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 15, 2025
In the background, Hamas displayed images of its leaders who were killed by Israel during the assault, including Mohammad Deif, the chief of staff of the Qassam Brigades.
Meanwhile, Israel is preparing to free 36 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences and 333 Palestinians from Gaza abducted during the assault.
The initial phase of the agreement, which spans 42 days, aims to exchange 33 Israeli captives for 1,900 Palestinians in three stages. So far, 21 captives have been released, including 5 Tahi nationals.
Recently, Trump announced a proposal to “take over” Gaza and forcibly expel its more than 2 million Palestinians.
Trump has also called on Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries to take in Palestinians – a proposal that has been met with widespread criticism and rejection from Arab countries and other allies while being condemned as an ethnic-cleansing plan.
In an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier at the weekend, Trump also said he would “own” Gaza and said it would be a “real estate development for the future”. Asked whether Palestinians would have the right to return, Trump said: “No, they wouldn’t.”
“In the meantime, I would own this,” Trump – a former real estate developer – added, saying: “Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It would be a beautiful piece of land. No big money spent.”
Tensions had risen ahead of this phase of the deal.
Hamas said Thursday it is committed to the release of Israeli captives and upholding the ceasefire agreement, just days after the Palestinian resistance group announced it would delay the release of the three captives scheduled for Saturday due to Israeli ceasefire violations, including shooting Palestinians in Gaza and not allowing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters, and other vital aid to enter the besieged enclave. Israel responded by saying that if Hamas failed to free captives according to the schedule, it would resume its war.
In a statement, Hamas said it would continue implementing the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian detainees, “according to the specified timetable.”
A Palestinian source quoted by AFP news agency said on Thursday that mediators had obtained from Israel a “promise … to put in place a humanitarian protocol starting from this morning” that would allow construction equipment and temporary housing into the devastated territory.
Mediators also confirmed all parties remain committed to fulfilling the ceasefire terms, including the humanitarian protocol.
Since the ceasefire went into effect on January 19, Israeli forces have killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Reports said indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel are expected to start next week on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
