PRESIDENT Donald Trump has vowed to take over the devastated Gaza Strip and “level” the site before looking to redevelop it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Republican’s clear plan to help rebuild the war-torn strip saying it will “change history“.
5
5
5
Trump said America “will do a job with it” if they own the Gaza Strip and take full responsibility to dismantle it safely after years of torment for the people of Palestine.
He added it is a “very dangerous place to be” at the moment and requires America’s help to rebuild completely.
Trumps Middle East envoy said they plan on creating a three to five-year timeline for the reconstruction of Gaza.
Detailed plans are yet to be revealed over the potential demolition plot but the newly-inaugurated President said it will involve a complete reconstruction.
He said they would destroy all of the buildings in the war zone before beginning to “create an economic development”.
This would create “unlimited numbers of jobs and housing”, he added.
Trump then urged as many countries as possible to take in the displaced Palestinians so the upheaval of Gaza could be completed peacefully.
The remarks were made in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from The White House.
A smiling Netanyahu described Trump as the “greatest friend Israel has ever had”.
Trump added he has spoken to dozens of people who “love the idea” of the US taking over the strip.
Last week, Trump revealed radical plans to “clean out” the strip after he described Gaza as a “demolition site”.
He said: “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.
“Almost everything is demolished and people are dying there.”
At the end of January, Trump called on neighbouring Arab nations to take in more Palestinians.
He echoed these thoughts again today and said places like Egypt and Jordan should offer to take in as many people as possible.
Gaza’s two million inhabitants should instead “go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts“, he said.
The move “could be temporary” or “long-term”, he said.
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority condemned Trump’s proposal last month.
Trump’s plans would also be a stark change from the US’s previous policy which promoted a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
The pre-war population of Gaza was over two million people and over 45,000 people have been killed since October 7, 2023, according to the United Nations.
Thousands of Palestinians have already started returning to some of the most heavily destroyed parts of Gaza amid Israel’s fragile ceasefire with Hamas.
Israel lifted its closure of the north for the first time in January since the early weeks of the 15-month war.
5
5
