Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said there is “nothing to buy” in the Gaza Strip and that the US will “take it”, reiterating his claim that Arab countries are on board with his plan to displace the Palestinian enclave's population and move them to parcels of land in Jordan, Egypt and “someplace else”.
Speaking alongside Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House, Mr Trump also said he did not think Hamas would honour a Saturday deadline to release the hostages it still has, implying the conflict would reignite.
“They either have them out by Saturday at 12 o'clock or all bets are off,” Mr Trump said, shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was amassing troops inside and outside the Gaza Strip.
In freewheeling remarks from the Oval Office as he welcomed King Abdullah, Mr Trump repeated his claim that “nobody” wants to stay in Gaza and that he believes his plan is going to “bring peace in the Middle East”.
“There is nothing to buy, it's Gaza, it's a war-torn area,” he said. “We're gonna take it, we're gonna hold it, we're going to cherish it.” He added that he envisions the coastal enclave becoming a “great economic development job”.
Journalists repeatedly asked King Abdullah what he thought of Mr Trump's plans. He said conversations are continuing with the US and with other Arab countries, and that he was waiting to hear Egypt's proposals.
"Obviously, we have to look at the best interests of the United States, of the people in the region, especially to my people of Jordan," he said.
“We have to keep in mind that there is a plan from Egypt and the Arab countries. We're being invited by [Saudi Crown Prince] Mohammed bin Salman to discussions in Riyadh. I think the point is, how to make this work in a way that is good for everybody,” he added.
King Abdullah did not respond directly to Mr Trump's comment that he believes, “we'll have a parcel of land in Jordan … a parcel of land in Egypt”.
“We may have someplace else, but I think when we finish our talks, [the Palestinians from Gaza will] have a place where they're going to live very happily and very safely,” Mr Trump said.
But after the meeting, King Abdullah reiterated what he said was Jordan's and the Arab world's, "steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank".
"Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all," he said in a post on X.
King Abdullah announced that 2,000 Palestinian children suffering from cancer and other illnesses would be taken from Gaza to Jordan, something Mr Trump called a “beautiful gesture”.
The Jordanian monarch, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, has previously firmly rejected Mr Trump's proposal to remove Palestinians and take over the enclave. Other Arab nations and the UN objected, as have Palestinians, saying the forced displacement would be tantamount to ethnic cleansing.
Jordan is one of Washington's strongest allies in the Middle East. The two countries have long worked closely on regional security issues, including the fight against Al Qaeda and ISIS, and Amman receives hundreds of millions of dollars in annual military financing.
King Abdullah's visit comes amid a fragile ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. More than 48,500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardment and thousands more are feared dead under the rubble. Israeli strikes on Gaza have destroyed much of the enclave's infrastructure and reduced most homes to rubble.
The war began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 people hostage.
Jordan is already home to more than two million Palestinian refugees who fled or were expelled by the war surrounding Israel's founding in 1948 and the Arab-Israeli war of 1967.
Millions of Palestinians still live in refugee camps in Jordan, southern Lebanon and elsewhere. There are concerns that expelling the population of Gaza would jeopardise the long-held and internationally supported goal of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
While there has been rejection of the idea throughout the Middle East, some observers have noted Mr Trump might use US aid to Jordan and Egypt to force the two nations to comply with his plans for Gaza.
Ahead of the King's visit on Monday, Mr Trump said he could halt aid to Egypt and Jordan if they do not take in displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
On Tuesday, he seemed to walk back that threat.
“I don't have to threaten with money,” Mr Trump said. “We contribute a lot of money to Jordan and to Egypt, by the way – a lot to both, but I don't have to threaten that. I think we're above that.”
Jordan is heavily reliant on aid from the US and such a freeze in support to either country could jeopardise their peace agreements with Israel.
Mr Trump made the announcement last week during a press conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said that after 15 months of war, Gaza has become unlivable and the US would take ownership of the enclave and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. The plan would be a break with long-standing US policy on the Middle East
King Abdullah met US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday, the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement, and during his visit he is also scheduled to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as well as members of Congress.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
The years Ramadan fell in May
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPurpl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarl%20Naim%2C%20Wissam%20Ghorra%2C%20Jean-Marie%20Khoueir%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHub71%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20Beirut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
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Company%20profile
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The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy
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World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
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8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Cryopreservation: A timeline
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Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
