Trump reverses stance on Gaza plan, says no Palestinians will be expelled

US President Donald Trump appears to have backtracked on his plan to buy Gaza and resettle Palestinians from the strip into neighbouring countries, declaring on Wednesday that no Palestinians would be expelled from their homes.

According to him, Palestinians will not be displaced from the besieged Gaza Strip despite his plan to take over the coastal enclave.

“Nobody is expelling any Palestinians,” he said to journalists at the Oval Office.

However, his statement sharply contrasts his previous proposal to take over the densely populated territory on the eastern Mediterranean coast.

He had planned to have Palestinians resettled into Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia while the US transforms Gaza Strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported that despite criticism against the plan and widespread anger among Palestinians and leaders from various factions, President Trump had insisted that the US was committed to buying and owning Gaza.

He had also threatened to sanction countries neighbouring Gaza should they fail to accommodate Palestinians who would be forcefully displaced from the Gaza Strip.

“Think of it as a big real estate site, and the United States is going to own it and will slowly, very slowly, develop it.

“As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it. Other people may do it under our auspices,” he had said.

He noted that he intended to turn Gaza “into a very good site for future development by somebody. People can come from all over the world” and live there.

He also said he would consider allowing some Palestinians to settle in the United States on a case-by-case basis.

Israel’s emigration authority

Referencing President Trump’s proposal, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had said Israel intends to open a new “Emigration Authority” office under the Defence Ministry to manage the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

According to multiple media reports, Mr Smotrich declared on Sunday that the Trump administration supported the plan.

READ ALSO: Israel, Hamas must ensure Gaza ceasefire holds – UN Human Rights Council

“Various officials in the administration told me again and again, ‘We will not allow 2 million Nazis to live just beyond the fence,’” he said, referring to Palestinians in Gaza. “Not too long ago, it was taboo to speak about people leaving Gaza, but now the people who were crazy are the most realistic.”

“Not only is it realistic, but it’s the only plan that’s realistic,” he added.

The minister, who in the past has denied the existence of the Palestinian people, said his country is working with the US administration to determine which countries will receive those forcibly displaced from Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas are currently negotiating to extend the fragile ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The White House’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, had joined the indirect talks between both parties in Qatar.

The 42-day first phase of the Gaza deal and temporary truce took effect on the eve of Mr Trump’s inauguration.

That first phase ultimately saw Hamas return 25 living Israeli hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel—as well as five living Thai hostages.

The first phase, however, ended on 1 March.