Hamas has said Palestinians will not be displaced from Gaza, rejecting President Donald Trump’s plan for the enclave to be occupied and developed by the US with its inhabitants expelled.
The group’s Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said on Monday that the plans of US President Trump to seize Gaza were “doomed” to failure.
“We will bring them down as we brought down the projects before them,” he said during a commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the Iranian revolution in Tehran.
On Sunday, Trump reiterated his controversial plan for the Palestinian territory, saying he was “committed to buying and owning Gaza”.
“As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back,” he told reporters while on board Air Force One.
Trump’s plan sparked international condemnation, with observers expressing skepticism that the plan would be a “temporary” transfer of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Jordan and Egypt also reiterated their opposition to the expulsion of Palestinians, amid US pressure for the two states to facilitate the plan by taking in refugees.
Ceasefire uncertainty
The fallout over Gaza’s future comes as the second phase of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel hangs in the balance, with reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing domestic pressure to end the truce.
On Sunday, Israel dispatched a technical delegation to Doha for talks, however, multiple Israeli media reports indicated that the team would not be negotiating the ceasefire’s second phase and contained low-level delegates.
Israeli officials told the Walla news website that the delegation was sent as a “symbolic warm-up trip” to appease President Trump’s wish to see the ceasefire progress, while Channel 12 cited a senior source who said that the team had “no real mandate”. The report added that the delegation was sent in order to comply with a request from Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Reports also indicated that discussions on the ceasefire’s second phase would be dependent on the outcome of an Israeli Security Cabinet meeting on Monday.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu’s government is set to table a set of demands that many within the Israeli establishment feel will be rejected by Hamas. The report said that the demands include the expulsion of Hamas’ leaders from Gaza, the dismantling of the group’s armed wing, and the release of all remaining captives.
Qatar, meanwhile, has reportedly expressed concern to Israel over its efforts in executing the ceasefire deal. Haaretz reported that Doha highlighted provocative statements made by Netanyahu and Israel’s handling of the talks as key issues.
Despite the fragile ceasefire remaining in place, Israeli forces have continued acts of violence against Palestinians, killing at least four people in Gaza on Sunday.
On Monday morning, Palestinian media reported that one person was killed by Israeli fire in the Shujaiya neighbourhood.
