The United States has rejected calls by top Israeli officials that the Palestinian population should be removed from Gaza.
Asked about Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s call for de-populating Gaza as the only solution to the crisis, the US State Department reiterated Washington’s commitment to President Donald Trump’s 20-point “peace plan” that established the ceasefire last year.
But a US State Department spokesperson told Al Jazeera that no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.
Arab states, including some close allies of the US, have forcefully rejected any effort to remove Palestinians from their land.
President Trump, in August, celebrated an agreement to disarm Hamas.
The deal would include gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the almost daily deadly attacks on the territory.
But Israel rejected the proposal, saying that it would not make any concessions until Gaza is fully demilitarised.
