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By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Hamas issued a statement on Thursday calling on Arab countries to reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and assume control of the territory during the reconstruction process.
The terror group also urged Arab nations to convene an emergency summit to discuss strategies for countering what it called Trump’s “displacement project.”
Hamas stated that the president’s remarks regarding Washington’s stance on the Gaza Strip amounted to a declaration of the U.S.’s intent to occupy the territory.
“We do not need any nation to govern the Gaza Strip, and we reject replacing one occupation with another,” the group added.
“We urge Arab countries to resist pressure from Trump and stand firm in rejecting the displacement plan,” Hamas said.
On Tuesday, during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump announced that his administration intends to relocate the entire population of the Gaza Strip to third-party countries, with the U.S. assuming control of the coastal enclave for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The proposal received praise from many Israeli leaders and congressional Republicans but drew strong criticism from the Arab world, several European governments, and some Democratic lawmakers.
On Wednesday, the White House clarified some details of the plan, appearing to contradict Trump’s Tuesday claim that the resettlement would be permanent.
“I can confirm that the president is committed to rebuilding Gaza and to temporarily relocating those who are there because … it is a demolition site,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt also stated that under Trump’s plan, the U.S. will neither fund Gaza’s reconstruction nor deploy military forces to the area.
“This does not mean U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza, nor does it mean American taxpayers will fund the effort,” she said.
“Instead, it means that Donald Trump, known for his negotiation skills, will work to secure an agreement with regional partners.”
