The White House has appeared to backtrack on Donald Trump’s assertion that Palestinians should be permanently resettled from Gaza.
On Tuesday, during a visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Trump said: “If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza.”
He drew global condemnation for his comments, which included: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too. We’ll own it.”
When questioned, Mr Trump said he did envision a “long-term ownership position” and described Gaza’s future as “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
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Trump: ‘We’ll own Gaza’
But speaking on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to contradict Mr Trump’s words and claimed he had said it would always be temporary.
“The president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza for the rebuilding of this effort,” she said to reporters.
Palestinians walk among the rubble in Gaza. Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana
She continued: “Again, it’s a demolition site right now. It’s not a liveable place for any human being. And I think it’s actually quite evil to suggest that people should live in such dire conditions.”
Ms Leavitt also added that Mr Trump “has not committed” to sending troops to Gaza – but she did not rule it out.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have endorsed the White House’s revised position and the idea of Middle East countries taking in Palestinians, at least while Gaza is rebuilt.
In an interview on the Fox News Channel’s Hannity show he said: “Neighbouring states, wealthy states would do it. But the actual idea of allowing first Gazans who want to leave, to leave. I mean, what’s wrong with that?
“They can leave. They can then come back. They can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza if you want to rebuild Gaza, you can’t have…this is the first good idea that I’ve heard.
“It’s a remarkable idea and I think it should be really pursued. Examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Pic: AP
It was not clear whether Mr Trump was serious with his proposal or simply taking an extreme position as a bargaining strategy, as he has done in the past.
While Mr Trump’s comments have thrust the politics and future of Gaza into the headlines, on the ground, nearly 16 months of Israeli bombardment has devastated the coastal enclave and killed more than 47,000 people, according to its Hamas-run health ministry.
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The offensive followed the 7 October Hamas attacks in 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and about 250 people were taken hostage.