President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House Tuesday where they discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Trump told Netanyahu that Gaza is “a mess” and is not a “place for people to be living,” after it was destroyed by terror group Hamas, according to NBC News.
“The whole thing is a mess,” Trump said.
“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza. I think that Gaza has been very unlucky for them. They’ve lived like hell; they’ve lived like you’re living in hell. Gaza is not a place for people to be living. The only reason they want to go back, and I believe this strongly, is they have no alternative. What’s the alternative? Go where? If they had an alternative, they’d much rather not go back to Gaza and live in a beautiful alternative that’s safe,” he said.
Trump noted he didn’t know how people would want to stay and added that if Palestinians had new land to live in it “would be a lot better than going back to Gaza, which has had decades and decades of death.”
“I don’t think so. I think if they had the opportunity, if they had an alternative — they have no alternative right now. They’re there because they have no alternative. What do they have? It’s a big pile of rubble right now. Who can live like that. I think they’d be thrilled to do it,” Trump said, adding that, “they don’t have an option.”
NBC News further reported a spokesperson for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, slammed Trump’s comments and said they would cause “chaos and tension in the region.”
“We consider it a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region,” Zuhir said. “Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass, and what is required is to end the occupation and aggression against our people, not expel them from their land.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu gave Trump the credit of bringing about a ceasefire.
“I think President Trump added a great force and powerful leadership to this effort,” Netanyahu told reporters. “I appreciate it. He sent a very good emissary, he’s helped it along, and you know, I’ll tell you, I’m just happy that they’re here.”
