The White House insists that Donald Trump “has not committed” to send US troops to Gaza

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The White House has tried to calm the fears of a prolonged American military intervention in Gaza, insisting on Donald Trump’s plan to assume control of the enclave did not necessarily meant putting “boots on the ground.”

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt said that while the president had made a “historical proposal for the United States to take over Gaza”, “he had not committed” to send US troops “still.”

“The president has made it very clear that the United States needs to participate in this reconstruction effort,” he said on Wednesday. “That does not mean boots in the ground in Gaza. It does not mean that US taxpayers finance this effort. “

Leavitt’s comments arrive a day after Trump caused a uproar in the United States and around the world with a proposal that the United States should “take control” of the Palestinian enclave and that its entire population of 2.2 million should be resettled.

Leavitt clarified that enclave residents would be “temporarily relocated” while reconstructing the strip.

The plan caused a hostile reaction of many in the president’s own party, and some Republicans said he deviated from his “first” America “agenda and criticism for a long time to US intervention in” endless “foreign wars.

“I thought we voted first for the United States,” said Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican senator. “We have no business contemplating another occupation to condemn our treasure and spill the blood of our soldiers.”

Josh Hawley, a Republican senator from Missouri, echoed his concerns. “I don’t know if I think it’s the best use of United States resources to spend a lot of money in Gaza,” he told The Jewish Insider.

Lindsey Graham, a republican senator from South Carolina, described the plan as “problematic.” “I think most of the South Carolinians would probably not be excited to send the Americans to take care of Gaza,” he said.

Trump’s cabinet members quickly sought to assure the United States party on the proposal, without providing details about how it would work.

The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said that the president’s proposal “was not a hostile movement”, but rather as an “offer to rebuild.”

“What offers very generously is the ability of the United States to enter and help with the elimination of debris, help with the elimination of ammunition, help with reconstruction, reconstruction of households and businesses and things of this nature, so that people can return, “he said.

Defense Secretary, Pete Hegesh, said Trump was “willing to think out of the box” on the subject, but refused to provide details about whether the possible military participation was under consideration.

“We hope to work with our allies, our counterparts, both diplomatic and militarily, to analyze all the options, but we certainly do not advance to the president or provide any details about what we can or not,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Democrats accused Trump of supporting “ethnic cleaning” in the enclave and accused the president of abandoning the needs of US voters to send funds to a distant region.

“He simply said that it will be the United States policy by force to the Palestinian 2MN of the Gaza Strip,” said Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democratic senator. “That is an ethnic cleaning with another name.”

Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said: “She is perfectly well cutting to the Americans of federal funds, while financing for the Israeli government continues to flow.”