UNITED NATIONS, February 5. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maintain the course toward establishing two independent states as part of the efforts to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Any durable peace will require tangible, irreversible and permanent progress toward the two-state solution," he said. "A viable, sovereign Palestinian State living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel is the only sustainable solution for Middle East stability."
"In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse," Guterres went on to say. "It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.
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 necessary.
In mid-January, Israel and Hamas reached a deal - brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US - to hold a ceasefire that took effect on January 19. On the same day, Palestinian militants released the first group of hostages consisting of three Israeli women. The first phase of the deal, which is set to last 42 days, stipulates that Hamas will release at least 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.