UN chief warns against Gaza 'ethnic cleansing' after Trump comments
The UN chief warned Wednesday against ethnic cleansing in Gaza as he rejected US President Donald Trump's bombshell proposal for the United States to take control of the Palestinian territory and displace all its people.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly criticized US President Donald Trump’s proposal for American control over Gaza and the displacement of its population, warning that such actions amount to ethnic cleansing.
Speaking before a UN committee on Palestinian rights, Guterres reaffirmed the Palestinian people's inalienable right to remain in their homeland. "We have witnessed the systematic dehumanization of an entire people," he stated, while also condemning Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. However, he argued that Israel’s subsequent devastation of Gaza could not be justified.
Trump’s comments, made alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sparked international outrage. His administration later attempted to soften the proposal, claiming that any displacement of Palestinians would be temporary during Gaza’s reconstruction.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stressed that forced displacement violates international law. "We must reject any form of ethnic cleansing," he said.
Guterres reiterated that a two-state solution remains essential for lasting peace, with Gaza as an integral part of an independent Palestinian state.
Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour firmly rejected Trump’s plan, declaring, "We are not leaving Gaza. It is our homeland." He also called for a successful international conference on Palestine, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France in June.
Despite Gaza’s widespread destruction, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned under a fragile truce since January. The northern region, including Gaza City, remains in ruins after Israel’s extensive military operations.
This article was reported by journalist Angelia.