All news

Trump says US committed to buying, rebuilding Gaza Strip

The US President compared the enclave to a "demolition site," noting that its residents have nowhere to return to

WASHINGTON, February 10. /TASS/. The United States can buy the Gaza Strip, establish control over it, and then rebuild it with the help of Arab countries, President Donald Trump told reporters aboard his plane.

"I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. 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 through our auspices," the Associated Press quoted Trump as saying.

The president emphasized that the US is "committed to owning it, taking it" and making sure that the radical Hamas movement "doesn’t move back." Trump compared the enclave to a "demolition site," noting that its residents have nowhere to return to. The US leader is promoting the idea of forcibly relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza. In his opinion, Arab countries will accept and host them after negotiations with the US. Trump is convinced that the Palestinians would leave Gaza if they had a choice.

The US president said on February 4 at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after talks at the White House that Washington was considering long-term ownership of the Gaza Strip to develop it for the sake of peace in the Middle East. The US leader advocated the transfer of Palestinians from the enclave to other countries in the region, which he said could "pay the price." Trump pointed out that the US is ready to send troops to Gaza if it deems it necessary. Arab countries, Iran and a number of Western states have opposed this. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he did not think the US proposals on Gaza's future were worth considering.