US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday called on nations criticizing President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza to take action and assist the territory, AFP reported.
Commenting on Trump’s suggested plan that residents of Gaza should relocate while the US takes over the territory and rehabilitates it, Rubio reiterated that Trump's proposal was tied to reconstruction efforts and stressed that Gaza is currently "uninhabitable."
According to Rubio, Trump’s remarks were partly intended to motivate other nations with the necessary "economic and technological capacity" to contribute to rebuilding efforts.
"President Trump has offered to go in and be a part of that solution," Rubio stated while speaking to reporters in the Dominican Republic.
"If some other countries are willing to step forward and do it themselves, that would be great, but no one seems to be rushing forward to do that," he added.
"There are countries in the region who express a lot of concern about the Palestinian people. We encourage them to step forward and find a solution and answer to their problem," said Rubio.
Trump first brought up the idea during a press conference at the White House with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week.
Speaking to Sean Hannity of Fox News on Wednesday, Netanyahu praised Trump’s plan and said, “This is the first good idea that I've heard. It's a remarkable idea. And I think it should be really examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”