President Donald Trump has been encouraged to take back his words suggesting a US “takeover” of the Gaza Strip, which more than two-thirds of Democrats in the House of Representatives have deemed “morally indefensible,” according to a Wednesday report.
According to Axios, which cited a letter signed by 145 of the 215 House Democrats, lawmakers cautioned that the action would “not only be morally indefensible,” but also damage the US’s reputation abroad, endanger US troops, and encourage terrorism.
Representatives Brad Sherman of California and Sean Casten of Illinois spearheaded the letter.
“We are alarmed that an American president would advocate for the forcible removal and permanent displacement of two million people,” read the statement.
Additionally, the congressmen contended that Trump’s remarks “risk jeopardising the opportunity for the United States to work with our Arab partners” on resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict peacefully and rebuilding Gaza.
In a press conference last week, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed plans to “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
In the midst of a tenuous ceasefire agreement in Gaza on January 19, which halted Israel’s 15-month assault that has left the enclave in ruins and killed over 48,200 people, Trump’s proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians has been strongly opposed by Palestinians as well as the larger Arab and Muslim world.
Due to Israel’s years-long embargo, Gaza has essentially become the biggest open-air prison in the world.
Nearly 2 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced since the conflict began, according to the UN, following an Oct. 7, 2023, offensive by the Palestinian organisation Hamas. There are severe food, water, and medication shortages for the people of Gaza.
