&w=3840&q=100)
Trump says Gaza should be 'taken' by US and turned into a 'freedom zone'
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that his country wants to 'take' Gaza and 'turn it into a freedom zone', as the war continues to rage in the Palestinian territory.
The US president made the comments during his visit to Qatar, where he said, 'I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good, make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone. I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
This is not the first time Trump has made territorial claims on Gaza. Earlier this year, the Republican leader suggested that he could 'own' Gaza and resettle its population, a plan that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with at the time.
More from World
How much will it cost to convert Trump's luxury jet gift from Qatar to Air Force One?
The US president even went to the extent of sharing an AI-generated video where he created a utopian world for Gaza, calling it 'Trump Gaza' . The video showed beaches, giant golden statues of Trump, and malls selling golden miniatures of Trump, amid dancers performing with Trump. The video starts with a view of Gaza devastated in the Israel-Hamas War, and then shows skyscrapers.
In the background, a rap song plays: 'Donald Trump will set you free, bringing the life for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fears, Trump Gaza is finally here. Trump Gaza shines bright, golden future and a brand new light, feast and dance when the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one.'
The video also featured Elon Musk and Netanyahu enjoying food and the beach with Trump.
This was just posted on President Trump's Truth Social account. pic.twitter.com/9zrVcBGjK1 — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 26, 2025
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Meanwhile, on the war front, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes and artillery shelling on Thursday killed at least 50 people in the war-battered Palestinian territory.
Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said at least 13 people were 'recovered from rubble' after a dawn strike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, while another 35 were killed in 12 separate strikes across the Gaza Strip.
Bassal added that in southern Gaza, one woman was killed in artillery shelling, and one man by gunfire.
The Israeli government approved plans to expand the offensive earlier this month, and spoke of the 'conquest' of Gaza.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34, the military says, are dead.
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
8 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Pak, Iran agree to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion annually
Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion from the current $3 billion annually as they signed 12 agreements and MoUs after talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Prime Minister Sharif announced the new bilateral trade target while addressing a joint press meeting with President Pezeshkian after their talks during which they also agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The agreement to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion was reached earlier in the morning during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Minister for Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak. Sharif also said that Iran has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which had been at the heart of the current conflict with Israel. Pakistan stands with Iran for the acquisition of peaceful nuclear power, Sharif said as he condemned recent Israeli attacks against Iran and appreciated Tehran for its forceful defence of the country. Pakistan and Iran exchanged 12 agreements and MoUs in the presence of Sharif and Pezeshkian. These included cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, technology and innovation, information and communications, and maritime safety, among other issues, the APP said. Prime Minister Sharif on Sunday said that the leadership of Pakistan and Iran were keen to enhance the bilateral trade volume to the target of $10 billion as soon as possible, the APP said. The two leaders also discussed issues related to terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, it said. On his part, Pezeshkian said that the MoUs signed included one about finalisation of the free trade agreement at the earliest between the two sides. President Pezeshkian expressed satisfaction that serious and sincere efforts were being initiated by both sides for cooperation in diverse fields, and to take their current trade volume of $3 billion to the projected target of $10 billion, the APP said. President Pezeshkian landed in Lahore on Saturday afternoon and flew to the capital later in the evening. Meanwhile, after Khan's meeting with Atabak, a statement by Pakistan's Commerce Ministry said the high-level discussion between the two leaders marked a renewed commitment from both sides to accelerate trade, remove border bottlenecks, and build trust-based partnerships across priority sectors. The meeting emphasised maximising the potential of neighbourhood trade, with Khan highlighting how ASEAN countries have benefited enormously by trading within their region. Geography is an advantage. Pakistan and Iran must utilise this discount of distance. If we don't, we lose both time and cost benefits, he stated. The Pakistani minister suggested organising targetted trade delegations that include representatives from federal and provincial chambers of commerce, enabling focused discussions on market access and regulatory facilitation, according to the statement. The ministers also expressed a shared commitment to increasing the use of existing trade corridors and border facilities. Atabak also highlighted ongoing discussions about increasing Pakistani exports to Iran and encouraged swift follow-up on newly signed agreements. Khan said that beyond bilateral gains, such connectivity could expand to Turkey, Central Asia, Russia, and even parts of West Asia, creating an economic bloc of substantial power and resilience. Atabak supported the idea of holding a dedicated B2B day during every high-level visit and offered to bring Iranian business groups to Pakistan for in-depth meetings, the statement said. Both ministers agreed on the importance of identifying specific sectors such as agriculture, livestock, services, energy, and cross-border logistics for future collaboration, the statement said. With high-level political alignment and mutual trust, Pakistan and Iran appear poised to enter a new phase of strategic economic partnership that could reshape regional trade dynamics, it added. Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research, a policy think tank in Islamabad, said the total volume of formal bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran reached around $2.3 billion in 2022, with the trade balance largely tilted towards Iran. Iranian exports to Pakistan stood at $1.488 billion, mainly petroleum gas, electricity and petroleum coke. Pakistan's exports to Iran amounted to $842.8 million, primarily comprising Iron pipes, medical instruments and utility meters, it said in a September 2024 brief titled 'Pakistan and Iran's Struggle for Economic Cooperation'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
8 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump, Carney expected to hold talks amid US-Canada tariff tensions
US President Trump and Canada's PM Carney are expected to speak in the coming days, a Canadian official said, as both nations navigate rising tensions over newly imposed US tariffs read more US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would most likely speak 'over the next number of days' after the US put a 35% tax on products not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal, a Canadian official said on Sunday. Dominic LeBlanc, the Canadian cabinet minister in charge of US-Canada trade, told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' that recent negotiations had 'encouraged' him and that an agreement to reduce tariffs was still possible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We're encouraged by the conversations with Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer, but we're not yet where we need to go to get the deal that's in the best interest of the two economies,' LeBlanc said, referring to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The trade minister said he expected Carney and Trump to speak 'over the next number of days.' 'We think there is an option of striking a deal that will bring down some of these tariffs provide greater certainty to investment,' LeBlanc said. Washington attributed Friday's tariff announcement in part to Canada's inability to combat fentanyl smuggling. It was the latest blow in Trump's months-long tariff war, which began shortly after he returned to office this year. According to Carney, Canada accounts for under 1% of US fentanyl imports and is working hard to cut numbers even more.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
8 minutes ago
- First Post
Tied with China, India is ‘effectively funding Russia's war in Ukraine', says top Trump aide
A top aide to President Donald Trump on Sunday accused India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow, after the U.S. leader escalated pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil. read more A senior official in the Trump administration on Sunday accused India of effectively funding Russia's war in Ukraine by continuing to purchase oil from Moscow, as President Donald Trump intensified calls for New Delhi to halt its energy imports from Russia. 'What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,' said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and one of Trump's most influential aides. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Miller's criticism was some of the strongest yet by the Trump administration about one of the United States' major partners in the Indo-Pacific. 'People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact,' Miller said on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures.' The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday that New Delhi will keep purchasing oil from Moscow despite US threats. A 25% tariff on Indian products went into effect on Friday as a result of its purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. Trump has also threatened 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine. Miller tempered his criticism by noting Trump's relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as 'tremendous.' With inputs from agencies
