Trump said on Wednesday that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza,” a stark contrast to comments he made last month suggesting the United States might take over Gaza and transfer its population to neighboring Arab states.
“If U.S. President Trump’s statements represent a retreat from any idea of displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, they are welcomed,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement.
Qassem added that Washington should now press Israel to honor all conditions in existing ceasefire agreements. Trump’s earlier plan drew widespread global condemnation, including from leaders of Arab countries and international organizations.
In a statement Thursday, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry noted that Trump’s shift indicates recognition of “the need to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” and underscores the importance of “fair, sustainable solutions to the Palestinian issue.”
From “Trump Gaza” to a rethink?
On February 5, Trump floated the idea that Gaza could become a U.S.-administered territory—complete with American troops—to break the cycle of violence in the region and transform Gaza into a “Mediterranean Riviera.”
Later that month, he released a short, AI-generated video titled “Trump Gaza,” depicting futuristic skyscrapers, Elon Musk, Tesla vehicles, and golden statues of himself as part of what seemed to be a utopian vision.
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Source: PAP, Reuters, Al Jazeera