BERLIN

Germany on Wednesday firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza and permanently resettle its Palestinian population in other countries.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement that a negotiated two-state solution remains the only path forward that would ensure Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security, and dignity.

“It is clear that Gaza—like the West Bank and East Jerusalem—belongs to the Palestinians. They form the starting point for a future state of Palestine,” Baerbock said.

“The expulsion of the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and contrary to international law. It would also lead to new suffering and new hatred,” she warned.

She also underlined that the UN, European Union, and G7 nations have consistently opposed Israeli settlements on Palestinian territories through their resolutions and decisions.

“The civilian population of Gaza must not be expelled, and Gaza must not be permanently occupied or resettled. There can be no solution over the heads of the Palestinians,” she said.

Her remarks follow Trump’s declaration that the “US will take over the Gaza Strip” during a news conference Tuesday evening alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump said the Gazan population should be moved to countries like Jordan and Egypt, with the US turning the land into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

The proposal has been rejected around the world by both UN officials and a host of countries, including China, Türkiye, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and France.