U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to rehabilitate the people of Gaza is temporary, said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Wednesday (February 5), during his visit to Guatemala, Rubio told reporters that Trump’s proposal is not hostile. Instead, it is a “generous move” that demonstrates the U.S.’s interest in taking responsibility for the reconstruction of the region. The British news outlet BBC reported this.
He stated that the plan is for the residents of Gaza to temporarily leave the area so that debris can be removed and reconstruction work can be carried out.
On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt further clarified Trump’s comments, stating that the U.S. has no plans to “deploy troops” in Gaza. During a conversation with reporters, she said the President is committed to the reconstruction of Gaza and plans to temporarily relocate its residents as part of this process.
Levitt also mentioned that the President did not promise to deploy troops in Gaza, though she did not rule out the possibility of U.S. troops being stationed there.
Her comments came after Trump’s proposal, where he discussed taking control of the Gaza Strip and transforming it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
However, on Tuesday, Trump had stated that this relocation would be permanent.
Under international law, attempts to forcibly relocate people from occupied territories are strictly prohibited.
Earlier, Trump had proposed that the U.S. might “take control” of Gaza and relocate nearly 2 million Palestinians residing there. This plan has been sharply criticized by entities such as the United Nations, human rights organizations, and Arab leaders.