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21:28 GMT
WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (KUNA) -- US President Donald Trump stated Monday that the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal would start "very quickly", stressing that Hamas must be disarmed.
Speaking to reporters during his reception of the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation government Benjamin Netanyahu in his resort in South Florida, President Trump added that he thinks the reconstruction of Gaza will "begin pretty soon."
"He's looking forward to it," he says, pointing to Netanyahu. "What a mess. What a mess it is. And it's been a mess for centuries really."
"It seems to be born for that, but we're going to straighten it out. We've already started certain things, we're doing things for sanitary and others. But Gaza is a tough place, it's truly a tough neighborhood."
On potential deployment of Turkish forces to Gaza as part of the international stabilization force: "I have a great relationship with President Erdogan, and we'll be talking about it. And if it's good, I think that's good"
The US delegation for Monday's meeting included several members of the president's Cabinet and some of his key allies: White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and special envoy Steve Witkoff. (end)
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