Trump's allies respond cautiously to plan regarding Gaza Strip - Reuters

Decisive proposal

During the 2024 election campaign and after returning to office, Trump frequently stated that he would put an end to the wars he called pointless and would prevent the start of new ones.

During a visit to Guatemala, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seemingly aiming to counter the wave of global criticism, insisted that Trump's proposal for the Gaza Strip was not a hostile move, but a generous one that reflects the US willingness to take responsibility for the restoration of this territory.

In contrast, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that American taxpayers would not foot the bill and that Trump would reach an agreement with regional partners.

On Wednesday, February 5, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with US Vice President Jay D. Vance. During the conversation, he refrained from discussing the proposal, instead praising Trump for attempting a new approach.

Idea of two states remains in force

World leaders have stated that they remain committed to the solution of transferring the enclave under the administration of two states - Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This approach has been the foundation of US policy in the region for decades. According to this approach, Gaza would be part of a future Palestinian state, which would include the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Wednesday rejected any notion that the US is moving away from its longstanding Middle East policy. "I certainly didn't hear the president say it was the end of the two-state solution," he said in an interview with CBS News.

Middle East is doubtful

Meanwhile, the governments of Middle Eastern countries do not support Trump's proposal.

Jordan's King Abdullah stated that he rejects any steps towards land annexation and the displacement of Palestinians. Egypt has announced that it will support plans to restore the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire that came into effect on January 19.

A representative of the Palestinian militant group Hamas called Trump's proposal ridiculous and absurd.

"Any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region," said Sami Abu Zuhri in an interview with Reuters, adding that Hamas remains committed to the ceasefire agreement with Israel and is negotiating the next phase of it.

Trump's proposal raises questions about whether Saudi Arabia will join the renewed US-brokered efforts for the historical normalization of relations with Israel. Trump would like Saudi Arabia to follow the path of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 and normalized relations with Israel.

However, Riyadh has stated that it will not establish ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state. This contradicts Trump's assertions that Saudi Arabia does not require the creation of a homeland for Palestinians in the enclave.

On Wednesday, the kingdom's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land, and added that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed this position clearly and unequivocally.

Position of Israel and the UN

Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultra-right-wing Israeli lawmaker and former national security minister, stated that encouraging residents of Gaza to emigrate is the only correct strategy at the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and called on Netanyahu to immediately approve this policy.

Meanwhile, former intelligence officer and one of Israel's leading Hamas experts, Michael Milstein, noted that Trump's comments could put Israel on a collision course with its Arab neighbors.

He suggested that Trump might be trying to pressure Arab countries not to create any obstacles if he attempts to promote normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Trump to avoid ethnic cleansing.

"In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of 'ethnic cleansing," he said.

Meanwhile, Gaza residents stated that after the war and bombs that failed to drive them out of Gaza, they believed that Trump would not succeed either.

US president's plan regarding the Gaza Strip

On Tuesday, February 4, Donald Trump stated that he plans to turn the Gaza Strip into the Riviera of the Middle East, where international communities could live in harmony after nearly 16 months of Israeli bombings devastated the coastal enclave.

Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, did not rule out the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the idea is for Gaza residents to leave the territory for a transitional period of reconstruction and debris clearing.

White House spokesperson Karolina Leavitt called the Gaza proposal historic and nontraditional during a press conference on Wednesday. However, she emphasized that the president had not committed to deploying troops in the Palestinian enclave and declined to rule out the potential use of US military forces there.

For more details on the reasons and motivations behind Trump's desire to establish control over the Gaza Strip, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.