President Donald Trump said he wants the US to take over the war-shattered Gaza Strip after Palestinians are displaced to neighbouring countries, and develop the territory so the “world’s people” will live there.

    Trump unveiled his shocking plan during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the White House on Tuesday for a bilateral meeting.

    Throughout the day, Trump stoked controversy by suggesting Palestinians would “love to leave” Gaza, spurring fears he would back an ethnic cleansing campaign.

    Hamas released a statement in response to Trump, saying his plans are “a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region. Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass”.

    Protesters gathered in Washington, DC, to slam Netanyahu’s visit, accusing Trump of inviting a “war criminal” into the White House.

    Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 61,700 people, according to a revised toll by the Gaza Government Media Office, which says thousands of missing people are now presumed dead. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.

    Israeli military carries out raids across West Bank

    Israeli forces have stormed several locations across the occupied West Bank over recent hours, according to local media reports.

    Including:

•     The Qalandiya refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem
•     The town of Hizma, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem
•     The centre of Ramallah city
•     The town of Azoun, east of Qalqilya
•     The new Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus
•     The village of Qusin, near Nablus

    Australia’s PM reaffirms support for two-state solution

    Anthony Albanese has told reporters that he won’t respond specifically to a question about Donald Trump’s plans to “take over” and “level” Gaza.

    Instead, the Australian Prime Minister reaffirmed that Australia supports a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

    “[What] I would say is that Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, and it was 10 years ago,” he said.

    “What we have said, though, clearly, we’ve supported a ceasefire. We’ve supported hostages being released. And we’ve supported aid getting into Gaza,” he added.

    Trump’s plan for mass removal of Palestinians from Gaza is ‘grotesque’: Analyst

    Omar Baddar, a Middle East political analyst, said Trump’s framing of his plan for the mass removal of Palestinians from Gaza as a humanitarian gesture is a grotesque distortion of reality.

    “It really is difficult to find the words that befit how grotesque Trump’s comments have been. This is a man who is known for saying… everything Trump says is extreme and over the top. But this one really takes the cake,” Baddar told Al Jazeera.

    “He’s essentially saying that, officially, US policy now is the destruction of Palestinian society. The scattering of Palestinians to neighbouring countries. And, on top of that, for the US to come and own Palestinian territory, indefinitely. I mean – I don’t know what planet we are living on when these statements are coming out of the president of the United States,” he said.

    “And to frame it all as concern for Palestinians, as if they are victims of some natural disaster. That he’s swooping in to help, is also incredibly grotesque when he’s standing directly across from the man on the other podium who is responsible for destroying Gaza.”