Iran's supreme leader says U.S. "foolish" plans for Gaza to lead nowhere

TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said here Tuesday that U.S. "foolish" plans for Gaza and Palestine "will lead nowhere."

"Those who claimed that they would destroy resistance in a short period of time are now receiving their prisoners from the resistance fighters in small groups and releasing a large number of Palestinian captives in return," Khamenei said when meeting with visiting Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement Ziad al-Nakhalah, according to a statement by Khamenei's website.

As "global public opinion is now in favor of Palestine," no plan will succeed without the consent of the resistance and people of Gaza, he said.

For his part, al-Nakhalah thanked Iran's constant support for the resistance in Gaza, which he said managed to achieve "great victories" over the United States and the West despite the unequal balance of power.

U.S. President Donald Trump proposed recently to transfer Gaza's Palestinian population to neighboring countries, stating that Gazans who left will not be allowed to return.

The proposal, strongly supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has met continuous regional and international outcry.