US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that “no soldiers by the US would be needed” in his Gaza proposal, days after suggesting that the United States could “take over” and “own” the war-ravaged territory. His latest remarks come after wide-scale criticism from Palestinians, Arab nations, and global leaders.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted that US military involvement would not be necessary to achieve stability in Gaza. “No soldiers by the US would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!” he wrote.
His comment comes after his incendiary remarks last week, made during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit. Trump had claimed that “the US will take over the Gaza Strip” and added, “We will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it.” His remarks elicited audible gasps at the press conference. He offered no details on how the US would control Gaza or relocate its over two million Palestinian residents.
Damage Control by Administration
The Trump administration seemed to take a U-turn after the storm. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the concept “was not meant to be hostile.” White House spokesperson, however, claimed that no promise was made of deploying U.S. troops.
The controversy notwithstanding, Trump remained unmoved by his vision of post-war Gaza. He posted on Thursday morning that Israel will “hand over” Gaza to the United States at the end of the fighting.
New Plan for Palestinians?
He also said that Palestinians would be relocated from Gaza to “much safer and more beautiful communities within the region”. “For the Palestinians would already have been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, in new and modern homes, in the region,” he penned.
The vagueness of Trump’s plan has sparked public discourse about whether it is quite possible. Palestinian leaders outrightly rejected the plans to displace their people. However, the warnings that are coming from external critics see this step as what can worsen the already unstable region.
As Trump attempts to clarify his position, it is already ruffling diplomatic concerns. The world continues to wait with bated breath as the tensions over Gaza’s future still run high.
