Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described US President Donald Trump's proposed "takeover" of Gaza as a "historic opportunity" to secure Israel's future. Netanyahu stated that displacing Gazans is "the only viable solution" to the ongoing conflict. Trump's plan involves taking over Gaza and resettling its population to develop what he terms 'the Riviera of the Middle East.' This proposal has been met with significant opposition from the Arab world and other nations, who argue that it could amount to ethnic cleansing. According to Anadolu Agency, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun laying off employees across various major agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This development indicates that the layoffs extend beyond earlier reports of reductions at the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as the Trump administration pursues a strategy to downsize the federal government. In Germany, leading chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has issued a strong warning to the US administration, criticizing Vice President JD Vance for his support of the far-right AfD party ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on February 23. During a televised debate, Merz, representing the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), emphasized that his party will not engage in coalition talks with the AfD following the elections.