Protests in Jordan grow amid Gaza violence

Protesters took to the streets of Amman, Jordan in solidarity with Gaza, as Israel intensified military operations in the Palestinian enclave. Israel has resumed air assaults on Gaza since Tuesday and launched ground operations on Wednesday, effectively abandoning the ceasefire with Hamas. Hamas said it was reviewing a U.S. proposal to restore the Gaza ceasefire as Israel ramped up strikes to press the Palestinian militant group into freeing remaining Israeli hostages. 

The war erupted after Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 49,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign that ensued, according to Gaza's health authorities.

These protests followed a comment made by U.S. President Donald Trump in January 2025, when he suggested the U.S. should "clean out" Gaza and send refugees to Jordan and Egypt. This sparked widespread outrage in Jordan, where a large portion of the population has Palestinian heritage. Both King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi strongly rejected Trump's words, with Safadi declaring "Jordan is for Jordanians, and Palestine is for Palestinians."

Many protesters view Trump's remarks as an attempt to shift Gaza's crisis onto Jordan, fueling fears of further displacement and deepening concerns about the country's stability. Officials have emphasized that the Kingdom cannot host more refugees, viewing Trump's proposed plan as a threat not only to the Palestinian cause but also to Jordan's sovereignty.

Palestinians have become an integral part of Jordan’s fabric, reshaping its demographics and political landscape.

That said, this integration has at times sparked tensions, particularly regarding the challenge of balancing Jordanian identity with the accommodation of the Palestinian community.