Trump: "Israel will hand Gaza Strip over to the US... No US troop deployment"

Donald Trump, the President of the United States who had revealed plans to own and rebuild the Gaza Strip, claimed that once the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas ends, Israel will hand over the region to the United States. He also stated that U.S. troops are not needed for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

On the 6th (local time), President Trump posted on the social networking service (SNS) Truth Social, "When the war ends, Israel will hand over the Gaza Strip to the United States," expressing this view.

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

He said, "Palestinians like Chuck Schumer will be resettled in a much safer and more beautiful community with new and modern homes (after the war ends)," adding, "They will actually have the opportunity to be happy, safe, and free."

President Trump added, "The United States, working with the world's great development teams, will slowly and carefully begin construction of one of the greatest and most magnificent developments on Earth."

Regarding the deployment of U.S. troops, he said, "American soldiers will not be needed!" and "This area will be governed by stability!"

Earlier, on the 4th, President Trump stated at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "the United States will own the Gaza Strip," announcing plans to relocate Gaza residents to other countries and develop the Gaza Strip under U.S. leadership. He also said that if necessary to fill the security vacuum, U.S. troops would be deployed.

However, strong backlash erupted both domestically and internationally afterward. Chuck Schumer, a Jewish and pro-Israel Democratic Senate Majority Leader, also criticized this, and the mention of Schumer on this day appears to be a move conscious of his criticism.

Criticism of the troop deployment also came from within the Republican Party. According to The Washington Post (WP) and The New York Times (NYT), the deployment of U.S. troops was reportedly not coordinated in advance with the relevant departments such as the State Department and the Department of Defense. It seems that while continuing the Gaza development plan, some damage control efforts have been made.