UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday against ethnic cleansing in Gaza, rejecting former U.S. President Donald Trump’s shocking proposal for the United States to take control of the territory and displace its residents. Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump had suggested “long-term ownership” of Gaza by the U.S., sparking global condemnation. His remarks followed repeated calls for Palestinians to relocate to Jordan or Egypt.

Guterres, addressing a UN committee on Palestinian rights, emphasized that Palestinians deserve to live as human beings in their homeland, but their rights have been steadily eroded. He condemned both Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the devastating Israeli retaliation, stressing that neither was justifiable. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also denounced any forced displacement as ethnic cleansing, urging adherence to international law.

Following widespread backlash, Trump administration officials attempted to downplay the proposal, suggesting any displacement would be temporary while Gaza is rebuilt, and clarifying that no U.S. troops had been committed to enforcing the plan. Guterres reiterated the necessity of a two-state solution, calling for an independent Palestinian state with Gaza as an integral part.

Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour reaffirmed their rejection of Trump’s plan, insisting they would not leave Gaza, which he called an inseparable part of Palestine. He also expressed Palestinians’ desire to return to their homes in present-day Israel, from where they were previously displaced. Meanwhile, despite large-scale destruction, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza under a fragile truce, though the region remains in ruins after months of Israeli bombardment.