Israel to ‘turn over’ Gaza to US, says Trump, but no US troops will be deployed

White House appears to walk back Trump’s claim that resettlement of Gazans will be permanent, as president defends plan, saying no American troops would be deployed to Gaza.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump defended his Gaza resettlement plan Thursday, emphasizing that no American soldiers will be deployed to the Gaza Strip, while the White House appeared to walk back a key feature of Trump’s plan.

On Tuesday, Trump told reporters at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his administration plans to resettle the entire population of the Gaza Strip in third-party countrie, with the U.S. taking control over the coastal enclave for its rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The plan drew praise from many Israeli leaders and congressional Republicans, but sharp criticism from the Arab world, a number of European governments, and some Democratic lawmakers.

On Wednesday, the White House clarified some details of the plan, and appeared to directly contradict Trump’s claim Tuesday that the resettlement would be permanent.

“I can confirm that the President is committed to rebuilding Gaza and to temporarily relocating those who are there, because … it is a demolition site,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt also said the U.S. will not pay for Gaza’s reconstruction under the Trump plan, nor will American military forces be deployed to the area.

“That does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza. It does not mean American taxpayers will be funding this effort,” she said.

“It means Donald Trump, who is the best deal maker on the planet, is going to strike a deal with our partners in the region.”

On Thursday, Trump himself addressed questions regarding his Gaza plan in a post to the Truth Social platform.

The president claimed that Israel will ‘turn over’ the Gaza Strip to the U.S., but no American forces will be sent to Gaza.

“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting,” Trump wrote.

“The U.S., working with great development teams from all over the World, would slowly and carefully begin the construction of what would become one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth. No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!”