On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he was "committed to buying Gaza and owning it, possibly giving parts of it to other countries in the Middle East for development."
اضافة اعلانTrump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, said: "I will take care of the Palestinians, and I will make sure they won't be killed," adding that he would explore the possibility of allowing individual Palestinians to enter the United States, according to Reuters.
The U.S. president reiterated that Middle Eastern countries would accept Palestinians, affirming: "I will turn Gaza into a place for future development."
Trump also mentioned that Washington could "lose patience" regarding the pace of the release of detainees in Gaza.
The response from Trump, following images of the three hostages who appeared emaciated and weak upon their release on Saturday, has sparked uncertainty about the fate of the deal, with 76 hostages still to be released.
Trump told reporters on his way to New Orleans: "They look like Holocaust survivors. They were in terrible condition. They were emaciated and weak." He added: "I don't know how much longer we can bear this... at some point, we will lose our patience."
Regarding the Israeli hostages, Trump said: "We have an agreement, and we know that... They (the hostages) are trickling out (in small numbers)... but they are in really bad shape."
Trump reiterated his desire for Jordan and Egypt to take in a number of Gaza's residents, saying: "We're probably talking about a million and a half people. And we are simply cleansing the whole region. You know, over the centuries, this region has seen many conflicts. I don't know, but something has to happen."
Shortly after assuming office on January 20, Trump had proposed the idea of U.S. control over Gaza and engaging in massive reconstruction efforts.
His statement did not clarify the future of Palestinians who have been subjected to a large-scale Israeli military campaign for the past 15 months.
It remains unclear under what authority the U.S. would claim control over Gaza. Trump's announcement sparked immediate criticism from several countries.
