TL;DR: UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged a permanent Gaza ceasefire and condemned any forced displacement of Palestinians as “ethnic cleansing,” following a controversial proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump for a U.S. takeover of Gaza.
Ceasefire Call: Guterres urged a permanent ceasefire and immediate release of all hostages, welcoming the partial progress of the January ceasefire deal.
- Ethnic Cleansing Warning: “Any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, in response to Trump’s plan.
- Trump’s Proposal: Trump proposed the U.S. “take over” Gaza and urged Palestinians to relocate to other Arab states. He later posted a video of a “Trump Gaza” resort, sparking backlash.
- Global Condemnation:
- UN, EU, Arab League, and rights groups condemned the plan.
- Palestinian President Abbas: “Unacceptable... Gaza is integral to Palestine.”
- UNRWA Crisis: Israel passed laws banning UNRWA operations in parts of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. UN warns this threatens aid and ceasefire success.
- Humanitarian Emergency: Nearly 50,000 dead, mostly civilians; 80% of Gaza’s population displaced; rising famine and disease.
- Two-State Solution Reaffirmed: Guterres stressed the need for a Palestinian state with Gaza as part of it, and an end to Israeli occupation, citing the ICJ ruling.