UN chief warns against ‘ethnic cleansing’ after Trump’s Gaza proposal President’s plan for US to take over Gaza Strip and move Palestinians out also rejected by allies Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Addressing Trump’s plan on Wednesday, the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it “does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza” following Trump’s saying on Tuesday “If it’s necessary, we’ll do that” when asked if it might involve military force.
Trump’s comments came at the start of negotiations for a second stage of the ceasefire deal in Gaza, and sparked fears that they could threaten talks, although the framework deal defers any long-term planning for Gaza’s future to a third stage.
The secretary general, António Guterres, plans to tell a UN meeting on Wednesday that “it is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing” after the US president said he wanted to “own” Gaza and resettle its Palestinian residents elsewhere.
Donald Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza was met with anger and blunt rejection from regional allies, delight from Israel’s far right and a warning against “ethnic cleansing” from the head of the UN.
