Israel will hand over Gaza to US after fighting stops – Trump
US President Donald Trump has reiterated his Gaza relocation proposal for the US to take control of the enclave following conflicting statements from his administration, the BBC reported on February 6th.
“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting,” Trump said on February 6th, maintaining that his plan involved the resettlement of Palestinians without the deployment of US troops.
His comments have drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations, human rights organisations and Arab leaders, with many accusing him of advocating for ethnic cleansing. Analysts remain sceptical about the feasibility of this proposal.
Foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, as well as Palestinian presidential adviser Hussein al-Sheikh sent a joint letter which opposes Trump’s plans to move the Palestinians to foreign countries. The Arab Weekly via Reuters reported their objection on February 4th.
Following Trump’s initial remarks, US officials sought to clarify his position. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on February 5th that the displacement of Palestinians would be temporary. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Gazans would leave for an “interim” period while reconstruction efforts took place.
Trump’s initial statement, made on February 3rd, painted a more permanent picture. In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he described a vision in which Gaza would be transformed into the “Riviera of the Middle East” and asserted that “the US will take over the Gaza Strip and . . . will do a job with it too.” Netanyahu responded by calling the idea “worth paying attention to.”
The sudden announcement reportedly surprised even senior Trump aides because there had been no prior planning around the concept, the New York Times reported.
Trump’s most recent comments aligned more closely with Leavitt’s statement, insisting that no US troops would be required. However, his proposal still lacks clarity on whether the two million Palestinians in Gaza would be allowed to return under his plan.
The UN Environment Programme estimates that clearing the more than 50 million tonnes of debris could take 21 years. Water and sanitation systems have collapsed, while agricultural land has been destroyed.
The BBC
