Watan-Former U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed on Thursday the seriousness of his proposal to seize Gaza and forcibly displace its residents, as the occupying state began drafting a plan to facilitate the “voluntary departure” of the Strip’s population.
Trump emphasized that “the United States will take over Gaza from Israel after the fighting ends” and that “there will be no need for American soldiers” to implement this idea.
Meanwhile, a White House official stated that the U.S. administration would impose financial sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist the International Criminal Court in its investigations concerning American citizens or U.S. allies.
Trump also said on Thursday that Palestinians in Gaza would be displaced so they could be “resettled in much safer and far more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes in the region.”
Israel welcomed this stance, with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announcing that the country had begun drafting a plan to facilitate the “voluntary departure” of Gaza’s residents. “The plan will include exit options through land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departures by sea and air,” he stated.
Arab governments and the State of Palestine are responding to these displacement plans with widespread diplomatic efforts.
The Palestinian presidency reiterated its rejection of the plan, with its official spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, stating that “Palestine, with its land, history, and holy sites, is not for sale.”
In an effort to counter this plan, the Arab Six-Party Committee—comprising the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Palestine—is considering undertaking a European tour and holding meetings with U.S. administration officials as part of diplomatic efforts to prevent the implementation of this controversial scheme.
Mahmoud Mardawi, a leader in the Hamas movement, called in a statement for “strengthening Palestinian national unity and forming a unified national front with a comprehensive strategy to confront the threats facing Gaza and Palestine in general.”
International and Arab condemnation of Trump’s statements continues. Among the most notable criticisms came from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who stressed that “it is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing” and reminded the world of “the Palestinians’ right to simply live as human beings on their land.”
Additionally, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares rejected Katz’s proposal for Spain to receive displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
Katz had claimed that Spain, Ireland, and Norway—countries that recognized the Palestinian state last year—were “legally obligated to allow any Gaza resident to enter their territories.”
Trump’s remarks have also impacted the ceasefire and detainee exchange agreement, which Arab mediators had worked extensively to broker.
In what appeared to be a stance reinforced by Trump’s unconditional support for the Israeli government, the Israeli news website Walla reported on Thursday that U.S. officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had expressed in Washington his desire to extend the first phase of the Gaza agreement.
According to U.S. officials cited by Walla, Netanyahu signaled his intention to proceed to the second phase of negotiations, in which he aims to propose ending the war and releasing detainees previously rejected by Israel. However, in return, he “demands that Hamas relinquish power in Gaza and that its senior leaders leave the Strip.”
An Israeli source told the website that if Hamas refuses to renounce control over Gaza, Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor.
According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, the Israeli security and political cabinet will meet next Tuesday to discuss the second phase of the agreement. Meanwhile, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that an Israeli delegation is scheduled to travel to the Qatari capital, Doha, on Saturday to continue negotiations. On Friday, Israel is expected to receive a list of the detainees who will be released.
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