Huckabee says Israel not planning to force Palestinians out of Gaza Strip during West Bank visit

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited the West Bank town of Turmus Aiya on Saturday and stated that Israel has no intention of forcing Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip. "There is no plan of the Israelis to displace people out of Gaza against their will," Huckabee declared. He added that people should have the right to leave if they choose to do so.

Huckabee emphasized that no one, including the Americans, supports the idea of forced displacement. During his visit, Huckabee met with families of victims of extremist settler violence in Turmus Aiya. Settler violence has increased significantly in recent years, with unauthorized settlements established around the town. Residents of Turmus Aiya claim to face harassment from settler extremists and are unable to stop them from entering their town and damaging their homes.

The town's mayor, Nawwaf Zaghoul, informed reporters that the residents would be asking the ambassador for help to secure their safety and security. About 80% of Turmus Aiya's roughly 3,000 residents are Palestinian Americans. Huckabee, a Baptist minister and supporter of Israeli settlements, called for violent settler extremists to be prosecuted, while acknowledging that such actions represent a minority within the broader settler community, numbering around 750,000.