Trump says 'no rush' to implement his controversial plan for Gaza

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump on Friday sought to temper expectations for his controversial plan to take ownership of the besieged Gaza Strip Friday after it faced widespread, and often vehement, rejection.

Trump said his plan, which he described as a "real estate transaction" has been "very well received," though it is unclear to whom he was referring after the plan was panned by regional leaders, close allies and some of the president's closest Republican partners on Capitol Hill. He further backtracked on his original openness to sending American forces to the besieged coastal enclave, saying "we don't need anybody there."

"It would be supplied and given to us by Israel. They'll watch it in terms of security," he told reporters in the Oval Office where he was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. "We're not talking about boots on the ground or anything, but I think the fact that we're there, that we have an investment there, I think, would go a long way to creating peace."

Trump said he and his team "just want to see stability. That would be having us have that particular piece in that particular location, I think, would show great stability, and would lead to great stability in the area for very little money, very little price, and we wouldn't need soldiers at all. That will be taken care of by others, and the investments are taken care of by others also."

The plan, however, has been met with stiff resistance.

Dozens of countries, including Türkiye, Spain, Ireland, Norway, Germany, France, Jordan, Egypt, have flatly rebuffed the proposal, as have some of Trump's closest Republican partners, including Sens. Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul.

Israel’s war on Gaza has left the besieged enclave in ruins, with half of its housing damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million people displaced amid severe shortages of sanitation, medical supplies, food, and clean water. Over 47,000 people have been killed.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Separately, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.