Former President Trump hinted at the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state during a press conference on Monday, stating that they would “have to see” whether a one-state or two-state solution is the most effective approach for Gaza.
Trump made his comments regarding the Palestinian territory while returning to Washington on Air Force One, following the historically significant signing of the initial stage of an Israel-Hamas peace agreement in Egypt.
“Well, we’re going to have to see,” Trump responded when queried about the governance of the region if the agreement succeeds. “Many people endorse the one-state solution while others prefer the two-state solution. We’ll have to see how it unfolds.”
He pointed out that he has yet to express a public preference regarding the proposed solutions.
His proposed 20-point peace plan envisions Gaza being managed by a “temporary transitional” Palestinian committee that is to be supervised by an international “Board of Peace”, of which Trump himself will be in charge, to facilitate the redevelopment of the area.
According to the framework, once Gaza is redeveloped, “creating conditions conducive to a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood could become a reality.”
“At some juncture, I’ll determine what I believe is best,” Trump remarked. “However, it would be done in conjunction with other nations and states.”
He revealed that he did not delve into Gaza’s political future with the world leaders present at the signing event in Egypt.
“I’m not focused on whether it’s a single-state or double-state solution … my main concern is with Gaza’s rebuilding,” he clarified.
“That was a powerful gathering,” Trump added. “Those are some of the wealthiest countries … genuinely, extremely wealthy countries, and they have the capacity to manage it.”
Regarding the negotiations involving Israel and Hamas, Trump confidently asserted that his administration handled the situation appropriately.
“I believe our timing was impeccable,” he expressed.
As part of the initial phase of the peace agreement, Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages who had been held during the two-year conflict in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a proposed troop withdrawal by Israel.