Trump says no one will be forced to leave Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that no one would be forced to leave Gaza under the ceasefire plan, and that the agreement was “all finalised and done” as he prepared for a planned trip to the region.

“Nobody is going to be forced to leave. it is the opposite. No, we’re not looking to do that at all,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, when asked whether Palestinians would be displaced under the proposal.

He said he expected hostages to start returning within days and that he planned to travel to the Middle East at the weekend.

Trump said details on an international stabilisation force for Gaza were still under discussion.

“To be determined, really. I think there’s going to be a large group of people determining what it will be, and a group of people funding it — very rich countries are going to be funding it,” he said, adding his belief that the plan would work.

The announcement follows Mr Trump’s unveiling on 29 September of a 20-point ceasefire plan that envisages a phased exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal. a later phase calls for a new governing arrangement in Gaza without Hamas, a Palestinian security force backed by troops from Arab and Islamic countries, the disarmament of Hamas, and international funding for reconstruction.

Arab and Muslim states have broadly welcomed the proposal, but some officials have warned that many elements still require detailed negotiation before they can be implemented.

Separately, President Trump said the United States was “stepping up the pressure” on Russia in coordination with NATO as part of efforts to secure a settlement to the war in Ukraine. “we are stepping up the pressure. We’re stepping it up together. we’re all stepping it up. NATO has been great,” he said, praising arms sales to allied countries.

Trump also criticised Spain for failing to meet a NATO defence spending guideline and suggested the alliance should consider excluding the country.

“Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly,” he said.

Trump’s remarks come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity and follow his comments that further sanctions on Russia were possible and that the U.S. would not be withdrawing troops from Europe.

Authorities and international partners now face the task of turning the broad terms of the plan into concrete steps on the ground.

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