Israel will keep invading – with more ease’: Gaza dreads Trump presidency

For over a year, Ahmed Jarad has clung to the faint hope of returning to his hometown of Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza. But on Wednesday, with former President Donald Trump announcing his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, Jarad felt his dream shattered. His village remains under intense bombardment from Israel, with access to the south completely sealed off.

Jarad, now 43, fled his home in November 2023 to al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis, after Israel launched an offensive on Gaza. This war followed a Hamas-led attack on Israeli military posts and villages, leaving 1,139 people dead and over 250 taken captive.

Since then, Gaza has faced relentless bombings and ground attacks, resulting in over 43,000 Palestinian deaths and massive displacement across the 2.3 million population. Israel claims the war aims to eradicate Hamas, classified as a “terrorist group” by many Western nations, but the United Nations and human rights groups note that the primary casualties are women and children.

Jarad fears Trump’s close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, renewed with Trump’s return, will intensify Israel’s actions. Netanyahu, under pressure to end the conflict spilling into Lebanon and threatening regional escalation, quickly celebrated Trump’s win as a “historic comeback” and a renewed “strong alliance” between the U.S. and Israel.

During Trump’s first term, he moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, cut aid to Palestinian refugee support (UNRWA), and overlooked Israeli settlements in the West Bank, while facilitating the “Abraham Accords,” normalizing ties between Israel and several Arab states.

Since last October, President Joe Biden has also supported Israel, providing military aid and defending its “right to protect itself.” However, U.S.-Israel relations have been strained as ceasefire efforts have failed, leading Netanyahu to see Trump’s return as a potential new chapter.

Jarad, like many Palestinians in Gaza, dreads Trump’s influence, fearing increased support for Israeli expansion and potential displacement. “This is a sad day for Palestinians,” he said. “Trump will likely endorse Netanyahu’s push for settlements in Gaza and the removal of many Palestinians.”

Jehad Malaka, a researcher at the Palestinian Planning Centre, believes that while Trump and Biden use different methods—Trump more forceful, Biden more diplomatic—their policies toward Israel remain similar. Malaka notes that Biden’s administration has neither helped Palestinians during the conflict nor reversed Trump’s policies from his first term.

However, Malaka thinks Trump’s influence could lead to a painful but quicker end to the conflict, given his sway over Netanyahu. In contrast, Ahmed Fayyad, another Gaza-based researcher, feels Trump’s election means further suffering for Palestinians. “Trump’s strong influence gives Netanyahu the freedom to execute his plans to control Gaza,” he said, adding that without unity in the Arab world, the Palestinian cause faces unprecedented threats.

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