US President Donald Trump declared that “nobody is going to be forced to leave” Gaza under his ceasefire plan, rejecting reports that Palestinians might be expelled from their homeland, Anadolu reported.
“It is the opposite.... No, we’re not looking to do that at all,” Trump said when asked whether his deal would require Palestinians to leave the territory devastated by months of Israeli aggression.
Trump said the ceasefire arrangement is “all finalized and done,” adding that he plans to visit the Middle East this weekend.
“I think it’s going to be great. I think the hostages will be coming back Monday or Tuesday. I’ll probably be there. I hope to be there. And we’re planning on leaving sometime Sunday, and I look forward to it,” he said at the Oval Office.
Asked about potential deployment of international stabilization forces in Gaza, Trump said discussions are still under way.
“To be determined, really. I think there’s going to be a large group of people determining what it will be, and a group of people funding it—very rich countries are going to be funding it,” he said. “People want to see this work. It’s going to work. It’s absolutely going to work. And it starts. It’s already started.”
Trump announced Wednesday that the Israeli regime and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his ceasefire plan for Gaza.
Unveiled on Sept. 29, the 20-point plan includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the entire enclave.
The second phase proposes a new governing mechanism in Gaza, with a joint Palestinian-Arab-Islamic security force overseeing order and reconstruction. It calls for Arab and Islamic nations to fund rebuilding efforts after the devastation inflicted by the Israeli regime’s bombardment.
Arab and Muslim states have broadly welcomed the proposal, though some officials have said further negotiations are required to clarify key elements before full implementation.