In portions from an interview released Monday, Trump stated that Palestinians would have no right to return to Gaza under his US takeover plan, defining his proposal as a “real estate development for the future.”
GAZA:The future of Gaza and the Palestinians who live there is in jeopardy after US President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to take over the territory and shatter the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The American President has warned Hamas that “all hell will break loose” after it threatened to postpone the captive exchange under the war truce with Israel.
He also stated that his plan to “take over Gaza” would not include a right of return for the more than 2 million Palestinians who, he claims, had “no alternative” but to flee due to the devastation caused by Israel’s military operation.
Trump’s Ceasefire Warning
The Republican leader set a Saturday deadline for the release of all detainees in Gaza, claiming that otherwise “all hell” will break loose and the Israel-Hamas ceasefire would be called off. The United States’ newest dramatic action in the Middle East came after Hamas vowed to postpone any additional hostage-prisoner swaps, jeopardizing the fragile six-week truce that began on January 19.
President Trump described Hamas’ move as “terrible” and stated that he would “let that be Israel’s decision” about what should happen to the ceasefire in the end.
“But as far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday 12 o’clock — I think it’s an appropriate time — I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump told reporters. He further stated that “all” of the remaining hostages ought to be released, “not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”
“We want everyone back. I am speaking for myself. Israel can veto it, but for me, it’s Saturday at 12 p.m. — and if they’re not there, all hell will break loose.”
He did not elaborate on the warning, adding only, “Hamas will find out what I mean.” Mr Trump reportedly threatened to withhold help to allies Jordan and Egypt if they refused to accept Palestinian refugees under his contentious plan for the US to “take over” Gaza.
“Maybe,” Trump told reporters when asked if he would suspend billions of dollars in US aid.”If they don’t agree, I would conceivably withhold it.”
No Way Home For Palestinians
In portions from an interview released Monday, Trump stated that Palestinians would have no right to return to Gaza under his US takeover plan, defining his proposal as a “real estate development for the future.”
The words are the latest effective endorsement of ethnic cleansing by the US president, who outlined his plan last week during a conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shocking the Arab world and surprising even his closest aides.
In an interview with Fox’s Bret Baier, Trump stated that “I would own it” and that the proposal might include up to six distinct areas for Palestinians to live outside of Gaza, something the Arab world and other members of the international community have rejected.
When asked if Palestinians will be allowed to return to Gaza, Trump replied, “No, because they’ll have much better housing.
“Could be five, six, could be two,” he was saying. “But we’ll establish safe neighborhoods a little further away from where they are, where all of this risk exists.
“In other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them because if they have to return now, it’ll be years before you could ever – it’s not habitable,” stated the father.
There have been no substantive discussions in the Pentagon or the State Department about how the United States could legally or logistically accomplish Mr Trump’s planned assignment. However, the decision was applauded by Israel’s far-right settler movement and their evangelical sympathizers in the United States, who have supported the annexation of the Gaza Strip and other occupied Palestinian territory, including the West Bank.
