US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Gaza Strip would be "turned over" to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. He also said that the enclave's population was already resettled elsewhere, which he said meant no US troops would be needed on the ground.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "The Palestinians, people like Chuck Schumer, would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region."
This comes a day after his own announcement that he aimed to take over and develop the Gaza Strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East", which faced heavy criticism worldwide. Follwing this, Israel had ordered its army to prepare to allow the "voluntary departure" of Gaza's residents.
Earlier, amid a tide of support in Israel for what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump's "remarkable" proposal, Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had ordered the army to prepare a plan to allow residents who wished to leave to exit Gaza voluntarily.
"I welcome President Trump's bold plan, Gaza residents should be allowed the freedom to leave and emigrate, as is the norm around the world," Katz said on X.
Katz said his plan would include exit options via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departure by sea and air.
Trump's unexpected announcement on Wednesday, which sparked anger around the Middle East, came as Israel and Hamas were expected to begin talks in Doha on the second stage of a ceasefire deal for Gaza, intended to open the way for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to the war.
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