US President Donald Trump has stated that allowing Palestinians to return to the Gaza Strip following the conflict with Israel would be a mistake.
“I think it's a big mistake to allow Palestinians, to allow Gaza residents to return. We don't want Hamas coming back. I see it as a major real estate opportunity. The US will take ownership and develop it gradually. We'll restore stability to the Middle East,” Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Louisiana.
“Gaza is completely destroyed. It’s a place that will be rebuilt. With the help of wealthy Middle Eastern countries, we’re going to reconstruct it,” he added.
On February 4, during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after their talks at the White House, Trump revealed that Washington was considering long-term control of the Gaza Strip to develop it for the sake of peace in the Middle East. He suggested relocating Palestinians from the enclave to other regional countries, which, he claimed, could “pay for it.” Trump also indicated that the US was prepared to send troops to Gaza if deemed necessary.
Arab nations, Iran, and several Western countries have opposed Trump’s proposal. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed the US suggestions regarding Gaza as unworthy of attention.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s proposals but noted that Moscow is aligned with the positions of Egypt and Jordan, which have rejected the initiative.
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Photo: Evan Vucci / AP / TASS
Based on TASS materials