US Middle East envoy says Trump's plan for Gaza is not about 'eviction'

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff said Thursday that President Donald Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip is not about "eviction."

"That doesn't mean that we're on an eviction plan," Witkoff told a conference in Miami.

"When the president talks about this, it means he wants to shake up everyone's thinking and think about what is compelling and what is the best solution for the Palestinian and Gazan people who live there," he added.

"For instance, do they want to live in a home there, or would they rather have an opportunity to resettle in some sort of better place, to have jobs, upside and financial prospects," Witkoff said.

Trump has repeatedly called for the US to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population to redevelop the enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” The idea has been vehemently rejected by the Arab world and other nations, who said it amounts to ethnic cleansing.