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Displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza, on Tuesday.Credit...Saher Alghorra for The New York Times
Trump digs in on his plan to take over Gaza President Trump defended his proposal yesterday to take charge of postwar Gaza and resettle Palestinians, promising to build one of the planet’s “greatest and most spectacular developments” there.
Trump stressed that he would not deploy U.S. troops to Gaza as Israel’s defense minister said he had ordered the military to draft a plan to allow people in Gaza to voluntarily leave.
Trump’s comments left some of the biggest questions about the plan unanswered, including where the Gazans would go, how many people he thought would leave willingly and who would govern and secure the enclave. His fantastical idea also shifted attention away from the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Its initial six-week phase ends in early March.
Trump’s aides had sought on Wednesday to soften the president’s idea, which was sharply criticized by leaders in the Middle East, the Palestinians and U.S. allies. But the following morning, Trump doubled down. “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting,” he wrote on Truth Social yesterday.
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Analysis: Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t want the war to resume, but he also doesn’t seem to know how to dislodge Hamas from Gaza.
More on Trump A judge issued an injunction to block Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship for babies born on U.S. soil to undocumented immigrants.
The freeze on U.S.-funded research in the world has left thousands of people with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies.
A judge temporarily barred the government from imposing a deadline on federal workers to resign. More than 40,000 employees have accepted the offer, the White House said.
Japan’s prime minister will hold his first meeting with Trump today, hoping for reassurances on trade and security.
The Indian Parliament was in an uproar over reports that migrants were mistreated while being deported from the U.S.
For Europe’s right, the unpredictable Trump may be as much an adversary as an ally.
Thousands protested across the U.S. against Trump, part of a grass-roots effort to kick off a national movement.
Trump signed an executive order to bar transgender women from competing in women’s sports.
Track what Trump has done since he took office.
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