Trump also hits back at 3 African countries with Gaza proposal

 

    Donald Trump

The United States and Israel are planning to move Palestinians from Gaza to Somalia and Somaliland. The Trump administration wants to take control of Gaza by removing Palestinians from it. Several African countries have been offered to implement Trump's proposal. However, Somalia and Somaliland have said that they have not received any such proposal. Both countries have rejected such proposals.

The Trump administration had previously made such proposals to Arab countries. As an alternative to Trump's proposal, Arab countries have supported an Egyptian proposal. The Egyptian proposal calls for the reconstruction of Gaza instead of displacing Palestinians. Instead of Trump's proposal, Arab leaders have planned a reconstruction plan for Gaza worth 53 billion US dollars. The United States and Israel have rejected the proposal.

     Donald Trump

The Associated Press reported, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, that the U.S. and Israeli governments have discussed with officials from Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland the possibility of providing housing for displaced Palestinians.

Sudanese authorities said they had rejected the U.S. offer. Somalia and Somaliland denied receiving such an offer.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallem Fiki said his country would “unequivocally reject” any proposal or initiative by any party that would undermine the Palestinian people’s right to live peacefully in their ancestral homeland.

U.S. and Israeli officials declined to comment. In Geneva, U.N. spokesman Michel Jacquie said the United Nations would “reject any plan that displaces Palestinians or leads to any form of ethnic cleansing.” Because it is against international law.’

Taher al-Nono, a political adviser to the Palestinian independence movement Hamas, told Reuters that the proposal to resettle Palestinians from Gaza to Africa was foolish. Palestinian and Arab leaders have rejected it. “The Palestinians will not leave their land,” he said.

Hamas agrees to release Israeli hostages

Israel’s indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas have resumed. Last Friday, Hamas said it would release an Israeli-American hostage and return the bodies of four others.

Israel said Hamas was not responding to the proposal by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. The White House says Hamas’s demands are completely unrealistic.

A statement from Witkoff’s office and the US Security Council said, “The demands Hamas is making at this time are not correct. Hamas is aware of the deadline for the agreement. We will respond accordingly when the deadline passes.’

After more than 15 months of fighting, Hamas and Israel agreed to a 43-day ceasefire in the first phase. The first phase of the ceasefire ended on March 1. No agreement has been reached on the next phase of the ceasefire. A senior Hamas official said on Tuesday that talks have begun in Doha, Qatar, which is mediating the ceasefire. Israeli officials are also involved. On Friday, Hamas received a proposal from the mediators. It includes the release of Israeli soldier Aidan Alexander, a US citizen, and the return of the bodies of four people who have dual citizenship.

At the G7 meeting in Canada on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that their priority is to free not only the US hostages, but all hostages.

According to Israeli sources, Witkoff has proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire until mid-April. But Hamas wants to implement the second phase. In the second phase of the ceasefire, Hamas wants to release all hostages at once. In addition, their demands include the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that although Israel accepted Witkoff's proposal, Hamas did not budge from their position.

      Protests in support of Palestine and demanding an immediate lifting of the blockade on          Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Yesterday in the UK capital London

Hamas released 33 hostages in the first phase of the ceasefire. Israel has released about 1,800 Palestinians. A Hamas source said that a new category has been added to the proposal. This will allow Israel to release more Palestinians.

Netanyahu's office also said that the contents of the Doha talks will be discussed at the cabinet meeting. Then the next steps will be taken on the hostage release. Israel's new decision is expected to come yesterday.

Although the first phase of the ceasefire has expired, that policy is still being followed. However, attacks from Israel have intensified in some places. In addition, Israel has stopped aid to Gaza for 13 days. The electricity there has also been cut off. This has caused great suffering to the people there.

The G7 Group has called for uninterrupted aid supplies to Gaza. This is seen as a change in the Trump administration's position.

Last Thursday, Hamas demanded the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas accused Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire.

In October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel. 1,218 people were killed. Since then, Israel has begun attacking Gaza. More than 48,500 people have been killed.