The United Nations has strongly opposed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to take control of Gaza and relocate its population, emphasizing that deportation from occupied territory is strictly prohibited under international law.

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed on Wednesday that the forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza would violate key legal principles.

His statement came in response to Trump’s unexpected announcement, made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

The former U.S. leader claimed credit for brokering the recent ceasefire in Gaza, which ended 15 months of devastating conflict following Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel.

Trump suggested that by clearing unexploded ordnance and debris, Gaza could be redeveloped into a thriving economic hub.

However, he provided no details on how he planned to relocate over two million Palestinians or govern the war-torn territory.

“The suffering of people in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel has been unbearable,” Turk said in a statement.

“Palestinians and Israelis need peace and security, on the basis of full dignity and equality.”

He reiterated that international law is unequivocal on the matter: “Any forcible transfer or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.”

Trump’s proposal has been met with overwhelming opposition from Palestinian leaders, Middle Eastern governments, and the international community.

Critics have dismissed the idea as impractical and a violation of Palestinian sovereignty, further complicating efforts for a long-term resolution to the conflict.

Hamas has strongly condemned former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip and relocate its Palestinian population, calling it a “racist” attempt to erase the Palestinian cause.

Trump’s proposal, made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, was met with audible gasps.

The former president claimed he would transform Gaza into a prosperous region by removing debris and unexploded ordnance, but his plan provided no details on how more than two million Palestinians would be relocated or how the territory would be governed.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump declared.

He insisted that support for the idea existed among Middle Eastern leaders and pressured Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Gazans—despite both nations firmly rejecting the idea.

Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, immediately denounced the plan.

Spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou called it an “American racist stance” aligned with Israel’s far-right agenda to displace Palestinians.

“The Palestinian people will not allow their homeland to be erased,” he said.

Trump’s remarks suggested that Palestinians would not be included in Gaza’s reconstruction.

“It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have… lived there and died there and lived a miserable existence there,” he stated.

The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, rejected the idea, declaring, “Our homeland is our homeland.”

Many Palestinians in Gaza also dismissed Trump’s plan as an insult.

“Trump thinks Gaza is a pile of garbage—absolutely not,” said Hatem Azzam, a resident of Rafah.

For Palestinians, any forced displacement brings painful memories of the 1948 “Nakba,” or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands were expelled during Israel’s creation.

Despite the backlash, Netanyahu praised Trump as Israel’s “greatest friend” and said the idea was worth considering.

However, regional leaders, including those in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, swiftly rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians.

As tensions remain high, Netanyahu maintained that Israel would “end the war by winning the war,” while also hinting at a potential normalization deal with Saudi Arabia—though the kingdom has stated it will not establish formal ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is recognized.

The war in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, has led to tens of thousands of casualties.

While Israel continues military operations, the future of Gaza remains uncertain, with Trump’s proposal adding further controversy to an already volatile situation.

Niger’s military government has ordered the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to leave the country with immediate effect, a source told AFP on Wednesday.

The junta has reportedly “terminated its agreements” with the humanitarian organization, leading to the departure of some foreign staff, the source added.

Local media reports indicate that authorities have instructed the closure of ICRC offices across the country and mandated the immediate expulsion of its international personnel.

The reason for the expulsion remains unclear, but the move signals further restrictions on foreign humanitarian operations in Niger, where international aid groups play a crucial role in addressing ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Argentina has announced its decision to exit the World Health Organization (WHO), following the lead of the United States, due to disagreements over the agency’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government spokesman Manuel Adorni confirmed on Wednesday that President Javier Milei has directed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to begin the withdrawal process.

“The president has decided that Argentina will no longer be part of the WHO,” Adorni stated at a press conference, emphasizing that the government opposes international interference in national health policies.

The move comes just two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced America’s departure from the UN health body on his first day back in office.

Like Trump, Milei has criticized the WHO’s pandemic response, arguing that it undermined national sovereignty.

During the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, Argentina imposed some of the world’s strictest lockdown measures, enforcing extended curfews and limiting movement to essential activities.

Milei, who took office in December, has positioned himself as a staunch advocate for reducing global institutional influence over Argentina’s domestic affairs.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order pulling the United States out of several United Nations bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while initiating a broader review of US funding to the global organization.

The order officially ends US participation in the UNHRC and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) while also placing Washington’s involvement in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under review.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf justified the decision, citing what he described as an “anti-American bias” within these UN agencies.

The UNHRC, composed of 47 member states elected to three-year terms, had the US serving in an observer capacity after its most recent term ended on December 31.

The executive order effectively terminates all US involvement in the council’s activities, including its reviews of human rights records and investigations into alleged violations.

“This order also calls for a broader review of US engagement with and financial contributions to the UN, given the disproportionate burden America bears,” Scharf said.

Trump, while acknowledging the UN’s “tremendous potential,” criticized its management and funding structure.

“It should be funded fairly by all, but we’re always paying disproportionately,” he remarked.

The decision also affects UNRWA, the primary aid provider for millions of Palestinian refugees, particularly those displaced by the war in Gaza.

The Trump administration has supported Israel’s stance against UNRWA, which has faced accusations of anti-Israel bias.

US funding for the agency was previously halted in January 2024 under President Joe Biden after Israel accused some UNRWA employees of involvement in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

Although subsequent investigations found certain neutrality concerns, they did not substantiate Israel’s main allegations, leading most other donors to resume funding.

Trump’s latest moves continue his administration’s pattern of withdrawing from international agreements and institutions.

Earlier in his term, he pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accord and initiated withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing funding imbalances and governance concerns.

Each of these decisions echoes similar actions taken during his first term in office, which ended in 2021.