US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said Palestinians in Gaza are “going to have to live somewhere else in the interim”, describing Gaza as “not habitable” in comments that appeared to walk back on Trump’s proposal about transferring Palestinians permanently to neighbouring countries.
“Governments should together make clear their strong opposition to Trump’s call for forced displacement in Gaza and take action to prevent further atrocities against the Palestinian people,” said HRW Middle East and North Africa director Lama Fakih.
The US president’s announcement, in which he claimed the court had targeted the US and its close ally, Israel, came two days after he declared the US would take over Gaza and envisioned the area as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
Asked who should take the residents of Gaza, Katz said it should be countries who have opposed Israel’s military operations since the 7 October attacks, he said.
Middle East live: Netanyahu applauds Trump’s ‘bold’ ICC sanctions Israeli PM thanks Trump for executive order; Amnesty chief says sanctions seek to ‘destroy what the international community has painstakingly constructed’.
