CAIRO, February 5. /TASS/. The government of Gaza ripped into what it called US President Donald Trump’s "colonial thinking" over his proposal to remove Palestinians from the enclave.
"We strongly reject and condemn the nationalistic statements that reflect arrogance toward the Palestinian people, as if they are a group of slaves who can be evicted or have their fate decided based on the whims of American policy. This colonial thinking will not work and will not do any good," the Gazan government said in a statement posted to Telegram.
Such rhetoric could trigger even greater tensions throughout the Middle East, according to the statement.
On February 4, Trump said at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following their talks at the White House, that the US was considering long-term ownership of the Gaza Strip in order to develop it for the sake of peace in the Middle East. Also, he proposed resettling Palestinians from the enclave to other countries in the region, which he said could pay for it. Trump also indicated that the US is ready to send its troops to Gaza if need be.
The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, accompanied by killings of residents of Israeli settlements near the border and taking hostages. Hamas regards the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and started delivering strikes on that area and parts of Lebanon and Syria. That was followed by an Israeli ground operation in the enclave.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on January 15 that thanks to the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to hold a ceasefire in Gaza and release hostages held in the enclave. During the 42-day first phase of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. The ceasefire came into force on January 19.