Trump envoy floats plan to relocate Gaza civilians to Indonesia - report
As the Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff considers on-ground presence in Gaza while exploring controversial population relocation proposals.
President-elect Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has suggested relocating a portion of the Gazan population to Indonesia when the rebuilding process begins, an official told NBC on Sunday.
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts to maintain the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Witkoff is considering visiting the Gaza Strip, allowing him to see the situation on the ground for himself rather than taking each side’s word for it.
“You got to see it, you got to feel it,” the official explained, according to NBC.
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“You have to be right on top of it, ready to snuff out a problem if it happens,” the official said, adding that Witkoff plans to be a “near-constant presence” in the region to assist with any potential issues that may arise as the hostage-prisoner exchange unfolds over the coming weeks.
According to NBC, Trump’s envoy is primarily concerned with day-to-day conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that could delay the release of additional hostages, something the official stated was “inevitable” despite the ceasefire agreement going into effect on Sunday.
Long-term solutions
“Remember, there’s a lot of people, radicals, fanatics, not just from the Hamas side, from the right wing of the Israeli side, who are absolutely incentivized to blow this whole deal up,” the official reportedly said.
According to the official, Trump and his team are still working on long-term solutions for the Gaza Strip.
“If we don’t help the Gazans, if we don’t make their life better, if we don’t give them a sense of hope, there’s going to be a rebellion,” the official added, according to the report.