US’s Rubio: Gaza 'Not Habitable'

Shafaq News/ US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Gaza is currently "not habitable" due to dangers such as unexploded weapons, suggesting that its residents would need to relocate while reconstruction efforts take place.

Speaking during a visit to the Dominican Republic, Rubio urged other nations to step up and contribute to rebuilding Gaza but did not clarify whether Palestinians would be allowed to return under US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to take control of the enclave and redevelop it.

"I think that's just a realistic reality, that in order to fix a place like that, people are going to have to live somewhere else in the interim," Rubio told reporters.

Trump has repeatedly advocated for relocating nearly 2 million Palestinians from war-torn Gaza to other locations, arguing that US intervention could transform the territory into “Riviera of the Middle East.”

"You build really good quality housing, like a beautiful town, like some place where they can live and not die, because Gaza is a guarantee that they’re going to end up dying," Trump said.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.”