The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has called on world leaders and the international community to respect Palestinians' desire to remain in Gaza, following comments by US President Donald Trump suggesting permanent resettlement elsewhere.
“Our homeland is our homeland. If part of it is destroyed, the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian people have chosen to return to it,” Mansour said at the UN on Tuesday. “Leaders and people should respect the wishes of the Palestinian people.”
During a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump proposed resettling Gaza residents in "a beautiful area to live permanently in nice homes where they can be happy." Although Mansour did not directly mention Trump, he dismissed any notion of Palestinians abandoning Gaza.
“We have no other home. If anyone wants to send them to a ‘nice place,’ let them return to their original homes inside Israel, where they will be happy to return,” Mansour asserted.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mainly civilians, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel's retaliatory operations have claimed over 47,518 lives in Gaza, with most casualties being civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers these figures reliable.
Following the January 19 ceasefire, which included a prisoner and hostage exchange, thousands of Palestinians returned to devastated areas of northern Gaza. Mansour highlighted the resilience of the people.
“In just a few hours, 400,000 Palestinians returned to northern Gaza despite the destruction,” he said. The Palestinian envoy emphasized that the ultimate decision lies with the people of Gaza. “The Palestinian people will make their determination, and we must respect their choice,” Mansour concluded.
“Our homeland is our homeland. If part of it is destroyed, the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian people have chosen to return to it,” Mansour said at the UN on Tuesday. “Leaders and people should respect the wishes of the Palestinian people.”
During a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump proposed resettling Gaza residents in "a beautiful area to live permanently in nice homes where they can be happy." Although Mansour did not directly mention Trump, he dismissed any notion of Palestinians abandoning Gaza.
“We have no other home. If anyone wants to send them to a ‘nice place,’ let them return to their original homes inside Israel, where they will be happy to return,” Mansour asserted.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mainly civilians, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel's retaliatory operations have claimed over 47,518 lives in Gaza, with most casualties being civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers these figures reliable.
Following the January 19 ceasefire, which included a prisoner and hostage exchange, thousands of Palestinians returned to devastated areas of northern Gaza. Mansour highlighted the resilience of the people.
“In just a few hours, 400,000 Palestinians returned to northern Gaza despite the destruction,” he said. The Palestinian envoy emphasized that the ultimate decision lies with the people of Gaza. “The Palestinian people will make their determination, and we must respect their choice,” Mansour concluded.
