WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump has not committed to putting U.S. troops on the ground in the Gaza Strip as part of his proposal for a U.S. takeover of the Palestinian enclave, the White House said on Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump believes the United States needs to be involved in the rebuilding of Gaza “to ensure stability in the region.”
“That does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza,” she said.
Leavitt also said Trump wants to see Palestinians who live in Gaza “temporarily relocated” in order for the enclave to be rebuilt. Trump had called on Tuesday for a permanent resettlement of Palestinians out of Gaza, drawing global condemnation.
Leavitt did not elaborate on the shift in rhetoric.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland; editing by Mark Heinrich)
