White House US won’t fund Trump’s ‘out-of-the-box’ Gaza plan

A day after Donald Trump said “the US will take over” and “own” Gaza and that Palestinians would “go to other countries,” the administration sought to downplay expectations.

The White House appeared to walk back elements of President Donald Trump’s shock plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza and launch a US takeover of the devastated territory.

A day after Mr Trump said “the US will take over” and “own” Gaza and that Palestinians would “go to other countries,” the administration sought to downplay expectations.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Republican leader wanted Palestinians to be only “temporarily relocated” out of Gaza instead of permanently resettled in Arab-majority states like Egypt.

She also said the rebuilding of Gaza would not be paid for by the United States and that US troops were not likely to be sent.

“It’s been made very clear to the president that the United States needs to be involved in this rebuilding effort to ensure stability in the region for all people,” she said on Wednesday.

This aerial photo shows displaced Gazans walking toward Gaza City along the beautiful coastline following the ceasefire. Picture: AFP

However, “that does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza, it does not mean American taxpayers will be funding this effort.”

She said Mr Trump has been “very clear” that “he expects our partners in the region, particularly Egypt and Jordan, to accept Palestinian refugees, temporarily, so that we can rebuild their home.”

“It’s a demolition site right now. It’s not a livable place for any human being,” she said.

Asked if the deployment of US troops into Gaza was being ruled out, Leavitt said: “The president has not committed to that just yet.”

But she did not rule it out either.

“This is an out-of-the-box idea. That’s who President Trump is. That’s why the American people elected him and his goal is lasting peace in the Middle East for all people in the region.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the revised message, saying Mr Trump’s idea “was not meant as hostile. It was meant as, I think, a very generous move - the offer to rebuild and to be in charge of the rebuilding.”

Mr Trump wants to support “rebuilding homes and businesses and things of this nature, so that then people can move back in,” Rubio told reporters on a visit to Guatemala.

Mr Trump’s surprise announcement on Tuesday sparked intense pushback from Palestinian leadership and governments in the region and in Europe.

It comes in the context of mediated negotiations between Israel and militant group Hamas to reach the “second phase” of a ceasefire deal that would bring a more permanent end to the devastating war in Gaza.

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at the Liberty Inaugural Ball. Mr Kushner sees the potential in Gaza. Picture: AFP

Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said he would “move the people out and then clean (Gaza) up” a year before the President shocked the world with his audacious plan for the Middle East.

Mr Trump announced his stunning proposal that the United States could take control of the Gaza Strip at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is visiting Washington.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too,” Mr Trump said. “We’ll own it. And be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.

“Level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”

Mr Kushner, who heads a private equity firm with a number of Middle East investors, spoke about Gaza to the Middle East Initiative, a program of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, in February 2024.

“Gaza’s waterfront property, it could be very valuable, if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Mr Kushner said.

“If you think about all the money that’s gone into this tunnel network and into all the munitions, if that would have gone into education or innovation, what could have been done?

“It’s a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but I think from Israel´s perspective, I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up...

“But I don’t think that Israel has stated that they don’t want the people to move back there afterwards.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned forcible deportations from Gaza are strictly prohibited. Picture: AFP

UN rights chief Volker Turk insisted Wednesday that deporting people from occupied territory was strictly prohibited.

“It is crucial that we move towards the next phase of the ceasefire, to release all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” Mr Turk said in a statement.

“The suffering of people in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel has been unbearable. Palestinians and Israelis need peace and security, on the basis of full dignity and equality.” Mr Turk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said international law was “very clear”.

“The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law and must be protected by all states, as the International Court of Justice recently underlined afresh,” he said.

“Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.”

– with Agence France-Presse (AFP)