President Donald Trump on Thursday reiterated his controversial proposal to imagine management of the Gaza Strip, telling a business roundtable in Qatar that the U.S. would remodel the enclave right into a “freedom zone,” arguing there was nothing left to avoid wasting within the Palestinian territory
Trump first pitched his Gaza concept in February, saying the U.S. would redevelop it and drive Palestinians to go elsewhere. The plan drew international condemnation, with Palestinians, Arab nations and the U.N. saying it could quantity to ethnic cleaning.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants is internally displaced as Israel presses a genocidal army assault that has killed practically 53,000 Palestinians and ravaged a lot of the enclave. Israel started its assault after the October 2023 assault by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Speaking to a bunch of officers and business leaders in Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’ political workplace in Doha for years, Trump mentioned he has “concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: Make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved.”
Trump mentioned he had seen “aerial shots where, I mean, there’s practically no building standing. It’s not like you’re trying to save something. There’s no buildings. People are living under the rubble of buildings that collapsed, which is not acceptable.”
“I want to see that (Gaza) be a freedom zone. And if it’s necessary, I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone. Let some good things happen.”
Trump has beforehand mentioned he desires to show Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Palestinians vehemently reject any plan involving them leaving Gaza, evaluating such concepts to the 1948 “Nakba,” or “catastrophe,” when a whole lot of 1000’s have been dispossessed of their houses within the struggle that led to the creation of Israel. Many say they might fairly stay within the ruins of their houses.
Commenting on Trump’s remarks in Qatar, Hamas official Basem Naim mentioned the president “possesses the necessary influence” to finish the Gaza struggle and assist set up a Palestinian state.
But Naim added: “Gaza is an integral part of Palestinian land – it is not real estate for sale on the open market.”
Direct U.S. involvement in Gaza would draw Washington deeper into the Israeli-Palestinian battle and probably mark its greatest Middle East intervention since its 2003 Iraq invasion. Many Americans view overseas entanglements with skepticism.
Earlier this month, Israel accredited expanded offensive plans that may embody seizing the enclave and controlling assist. At least 94 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday, medics mentioned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Trump’s concept as “a bold vision,” and has mentioned that he and the U.S. president have mentioned which international locations may be prepared to take Palestinians who depart Gaza.
Source: www.dailysabah.com