CAIRO, February 6. /TASS/. Hamas is urging Arab leaders to convene for an emergency meeting to discuss ways to counter US President Donald Trump’s recent proposals for Gaza’s future, the group’s spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
"We strongly reject Trump's statements: Gaza belongs solely to its residents and they will not leave it. In this context, we demand that Arab heads of state hold an urgent meeting and discuss ways to counter plans to forcibly resettle Palestinians," he wrote on Telegram.
He also called on members of all Palestinian factions to unite against any efforts to displace Gaza’s population.
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. He also proposed relocating Palestinians from the enclave to other countries in the region, which he said could pay for it. Trump indicated that the US is ready to send its troops to Gaza if necessary. The US president reiterated this vision for Gaza’s future on February 6.
Arab countries, Iran and some Western nations have opposed Trump's proposals. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow took note of the US president's idea, but also acknowledged that Egypt and Jordan have refused to cooperate with the plan.