I think a lot of people misunderstand this aspect of the situation re why civilians are staying in Gaza

Because they're the ones who have destroyed their homes and are bombing them relentlessly. Of course, it's ridiculous to think that a State committing genocide would live up to its obligations, but as we're talking about it...

Or perhaps they don't want a million or so refugees, especially as Israel has openly announced its plans for ethnic cleansing, which means they'd likely be unable to return to Palestine. I don't see us volunteering to accept a million refugees, despite our moral culpability in arming and supporting the genocide.

Egypt don't want them,

https://www.newarab.com/news/egypt-rejects-european-plans-refugee-camps-return-hubs#:~:text=Egypt%20has%20categorically%20rejected%20a,countries%20south%20of%20the%20Mediterranean.

In July 2025 Arab countries still refused to accept refugees
Jordan’s King Abdullah announced immediately after the October 7 attacks that Jordan and Egypt would not accept refugees from Gaza.
“That is a red line,” he said.
Similarly, Turkey and Qatar, both state sponsors of Hamas, are refusing to take refugees even as both countries express support for the Palestinians. Algeria, Kuwait, and Malaysia are openly siding with Hamas but have not said they would admit refugees.

This is incorrect. That land has never belonged to Palestinians.
It was annexed in 1950 and ruled by Jordan after the 1948 Arab/Israeli War.
It was captured by Israel after the 1967 War which was caused by Egypt, Jordan and Syria launching an unprovoked attack on Israel.

Egypt was until 1967 when Israel took Gaza by force. It’s a simple principle, if you take land by force with your military you are then responsible for the inhabitants to include ensuring they don’t end up being ruled by criminal gangs or terror gangs.

The 1967 war was started by Israel by a pre-emptive air strike on Egypt destroying most of their air force as the planes were parked on the ground.

The land was set aside by the 1947 UN resolution, the same resolution that gave Israel the authority to come into existence in 1948.

No Islamic or Arab states have accepted mass displacement or permanent relocation of Gazan refugees from the Gaza Strip

Palestine is a member state of the UN General assembly. The UN nations formally recognizes Palestine territory as per the pre 1967 borders and is currently occupied territory. This is not debatable, this is a fact.

Who cares what the UN says ? It's just a toothless talking shop.
The United Nations has very little direct, independent power and relies entirely on the political and financial cooperation of its member states.

Unfortunately since the recent actions of Russia and the US, the UN is irrelevant and we seem to be leaving in a “might us right” world where nobody has the will or the power to implement international laws. Discussing the finer points of UN rules is irrelevant if nobody is able or willing to enforce them or put pressure on Isreal to stop. Isreal is in the wrong (imo), the settlers are in the wrong, hamas was in the wrong, but it doesn’t matter. Isreal were attacked awfully and the lack of restraint from the us has given them a free hit to rid themselves of a threat. It’s not right but it’s probably logical based on the way the world seems to be working now.

I think there is scope for Labour to win back support amongst the Muslim diaspora in the UK by pledging to shelter Palestinian families here, rather than increase the burden on neighbouring countries who have had nothing to do with the whole affair.

Tensions were rising prior to the 1967 attack.
Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser ordered UN peacekeepers out of the Sinai Peninsula, mobilized troops, and closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.
Convinced an Arab attack was imminent following false Soviet intelligence reports, Israel launched a surprise preemptive air assault on June 5.
Israel destroyed most of the Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian air forces on the ground within hours, securing total air superiority

Yes and the land was annexed by Jordan, and they never got taken to task over that.

Yes and Gaza did very well under Israeli control.
They had irrigation and a flourishing fruit and flower export market.
Israel bowed to international pressure and pulled out of Gaza in 2005 and elections were arranged to form a new legislative Palestinian Council.
That's when Hamas took control.

And what has UK got to do with it ?
Why is the UK's problem ?
We are £ trillions in debt and you want to being in yet more people to look after?
If you feel like that maybe you would be prepared take a Palestinian family into your home and feed and clothe them?

Well the entire partition in the Middle East to begin with is a creation of the United Kingdom, so ultimately a lot of the blame does fall on our shoulders. The right thing to do would be to offer sanctuary to any Palestinian family that wishes it.

Despite what many people may say, we are still a wealthy country with plenty of resources to go around, and don't forget, the children will go on to grow up and enter the workforce themselves. We shouldn't look at it this way but it would benefit us too in the long run.

I do think temporary shelter should have been provided by Egypt, given how they beefed up the border with Gaza quick time they could have easily cordoned off shelter near the crossing for women and children. They have a peace treaty with Israel and also joint manufacturing sites etc and buy natural resources from Israel. The Israelis and the Egyptians have both respected the terms of their agreements broadly. Getting civilians out of harms way should be something everyone should have been able to agree on. It’s also why we know the arabs don’t actually think it’s a genocide, who would scream a population is being genocided and then lock them out? I call bullshit on that. You can’t simultaneously go “OMG GENOCIDE ISRAEL IS TRYING TO KILL THEM ALL…erm move them HERE?…oh no…er I know Israel is trying to wipe them all out but we really can’t have them move here… it’s better that they stay in genocide land.. erm because otherwise we’ll be helping the Jews erm ethnic cleansing mumble mumble..”.

Which one is it? There are massive logical gaps I hear all the time in the conversation about this.

It is not, syria and lebanon is a french invention, Assad senior used to talk about absorbing Lebanon into greater syria, actually occupied it for decades. Most countries in the middle east are about the same age as Israel.

@DebbieSavageWell the entire partition in the Middle East to begin with is a creation of the United Kingdom.
That is incorrect as France had a hand in it as well. So are the French going to get involved and start taking in Palestinian refugees? - I think not.
And, if we are so wealthy, as you claim, how is it we have such a humongous National Debt?
The UK national debt stands at provisionally £2,985.5 billion (just under £3 trillion) as of the end of August 2026, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This massive amount is equivalent to 93.8% of the UK’s annual gross domestic product (GDP), keeping government debt at levels last seen in the early 1960s.
As a UK taxpayer, I get more than a little brassed off with various governments telling me how we should support the World and his Dog and putting up my taxes to pay for it.

Also no thank you, Palestinians in Denmark -64% original refugees had criminal convictions and 34% of their children had criminal convictions. Happy to send aid but no thank you.

In terms of the UN being able to deal with Israel's actions I agree but that is simply as a result of the US crippling it with its veto. It does not detract from the fact that 157 countries out of 193 view Israels occupation of Palestinian territory as illegal. I do find it amusing that Netanyahu's flight planners have chosen longer, circuitous routes over the Mediterranean or Atlantic to completely avoid countries that will comply with the ICC arrest warrant.

Everyone, not just the Palestinians, Egypt and Israel, knows that there would be nothing temporary about moving the Palestinians into Egypt. That ethnic cleansing plan has been on the cards since Oct 8th if not before.

And by "criminal convictions", you mean violating any of the hundreds of laws that apply to Palestinians in the OPT, but not Jews? I'm sure most Palestinians have got "criminal convictions" if that nature. I wouldn't trust one who hadn't.