Trump backs down on imposing his plan on Gaza and the US National Security Advisor confirms that Hamas won’t be allowed to run the Gaza Strip
US President Donald Trump said in a statement to Fox News that his plan regarding Gaza is good, but he won’t impose it and that he is only recommending it.
Trump added that Gaza is completely destroyed and if given the freedom of choice, its people would leave.
The US President considered that Gaza has a wonderful location and that Israel’s previous abandonment of its questionable.
Trump announced a few days ago that he is committed to buying and owning Gaza, indicating that he might give parts of the coastal strip to other countries in the Middle East to help in reconstruction efforts, without specifying which countries he meant.
However, he quickly backed down from the purchase, maintaining the idea of emptying the Palestinian sector.
He also claimed that it would turn Gaza into a good site for future development.
However, his sudden proposal sparked international and Arab criticism, as all Arab countries affirmed their adherence to the right of return and rejection of displacement, as did Western countries and Washington’s allies, affirming their adherence to the two-state solution.
Especially since the displacement of the people of Gaza constitutes a violation of humanitarian and international laws, and a flagrant breach of United Nations resolutions on Palestine.
Of course, he was supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stressed that Trump’s idea was good, unprecedented, and even offered a reasonable solution.
On Thursday, US envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff tried to remedy the situation, saying that President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza doesn’t aim to displace Palestinians, and that talk about the future of Gaza is shifting to how to create a better future for the Palestinians.
On February 4, Trump proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip and resettle the Palestinians elsewhere, including Egypt and Jordan, a proposal that sparked international rejection.
In addition, US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed during his participation in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, that Hamas will not be allowed to run the Gaza Strip again.
“Hamas cannot be allowed to exist in any way in the future,” Waltz was quoted as saying by the i24 website, noting that the movement rejects the two-state solution and prevents the achievement of this goal.
Waltz added that the US administration is working to get as many hostages out of Gaza as possible, saying, “We’re committed to getting out as many as we can”.
He also praised former President Donald Trump’s role in imposing a heavy price on the parties involved, leading to the implementation of hostage agreements.
Waltz criticized the administration of former President Joe Biden, describing its approach as focused on reaching a ceasefire through repeated concessions.
He noted that the previous administration exerted more pressure on Israel than on Hamas, which weakened the negotiating position.
Waltz stressed that the return of the bodies of four Israeli detainees on Thursday shows why Hamas cannot be allowed to rule Gaza again.
He said, “We saw yesterday why Hamas cannot be allowed to return to power, and why we cannot allow a repeat of an attack like the October 7 attack”.
