Trump administration appears to walk back shock Gaza plan

WASHINGTON: The White House on Wednesday (Feb 5) 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 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.

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

She said 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."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the revised message, saying 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".

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.

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 the 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.