On Wednesday, March 12, United States President Donald Trump vowed that no Palestinians would be expelled from the besieged Gaza Strip under his administration. His remarks came in response to a reporter’s question during a meeting with Irish leader Micheál Martin in the Oval Office.
Trump’s statement followed controversial comments by Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who announced plans to establish a new “Emigration Authority” under the Defense Ministry to oversee the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Smotrich claimed the plan had the backing of the Trump administration.
This development comes amid Trump’s repeated and contentious proposal to take control of Gaza, which he reiterated in February despite opposition from several European countries. The US leader has expressed his commitment to “owning” the war-torn enclave as the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, continues.
Arab leaders have outright rejected Trump’s plan, proposing an alternative solution that has, in turn, been dismissed by the US administration. The ongoing debate highlights the deep divisions and complexities surrounding the future of Gaza and its Palestinian population.
