Violence over last 48 hours diminishes hopes that US president’s visit to Middle East would lead to pause in hostilities
Israel launched a new and intense wave of airstrikes and artillery shelling on targets across Gaza on Thursday morning, killing at least 80 people, as faltering talks on a new ceasefire continued in Qatar and Donald Trump said he wanted to see the US “make” the devastated territory “into a freedom zone”.
Trump’s statement recalled the plan he put forward in February for the US to take control of Gaza to allow for its reconstruction as a luxury leisure and business hub. The scheme implied the possible permanent displacement of much or all of its population of 2.3 million and triggered global outrage.
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