Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover and Economic Development of Gaza

WASHINGTON, Feb 4  – U.S. President Donald Trump announced a controversial plan on Tuesday, proposing that the United States take control of the war-torn Gaza Strip and develop it economically after relocating the Palestinian population.

Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump did not provide specific details on how the plan would be implemented. The proposal marks a significant shift from long-standing U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is expected to spark international debate.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed the permanent resettlement of Gaza’s more than two million Palestinians to neighboring countries, calling the enclave a “demolition site.” His remarks came as the first phase of a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal remains in effect.

At a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump declared that the U.S. would take control of Gaza and oversee its economic redevelopment. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”

The proposal marks a stark departure from decades of U.S. policy, which has supported Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state alongside the occupied West Bank. It also raises questions about whether Middle East power Saudi Arabia would be willing to engage in renewed U.S.-brokered efforts to normalize ties with Israel. Trump is expected to face strong opposition to any U.S. takeover of Gaza from both allies and adversaries.

Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover of Gaza, Calls It ‘The Riviera of the Middle East’

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 – President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed a U.S. takeover of the Gaza Strip, pledging to develop the war-ravaged enclave into an economic hub after relocating its Palestinian population. The announcement follows his earlier call for the resettlement of more than two million Palestinians to neighboring countries, describing Gaza as a “demolition site.”

“We’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of,” Trump said at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He suggested that Gaza, heavily damaged by Israel’s military campaign following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, could become “The Riviera of the Middle East.”

When asked who would live there, Trump said it could become a home to “the world’s people.” He did not, however, provide specifics on how or under what authority the U.S. could assume control of the coastal territory, which is just 25 miles (40 km) long and at most 6 miles (10 km) wide. Successive U.S. administrations, including Trump’s first term, had refrained from deploying American troops to Gaza.

Trump’s proposal marks a sharp departure from longstanding U.S. and international policy, which envisions Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state alongside the occupied West Bank. His comments are likely to face strong opposition from both allies and adversaries, and it remains unclear whether regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, would support the plan.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom Trump repeatedly referred to by his nickname, “Bibi,” refrained from commenting in detail on the proposal but praised Trump’s unconventional approach. “He’s thinking outside the box with fresh ideas,” Netanyahu said, adding that Trump was “showing willingness to puncture conventional thinking.”

Trump’s remarks come as Netanyahu faces internal political pressure, with far-right members of his coalition demanding a resumption of military operations in Gaza to destroy Hamas. Notably, Trump did not publicly urge Netanyahu to uphold the fragile ceasefire currently in place.

Several Democratic lawmakers swiftly condemned Trump’s proposal, while foreign policy experts noted his history of making extreme pronouncements that are later softened or abandoned in negotiations.

Meanwhile, a United Nations damage assessment released in January estimated that clearing the more than 50 million tonnes of rubble left by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.

Trump Calls for Permanent Palestinian Resettlement, Sparking Global Backlash

WASHINGTON, Feb 4  – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his controversial stance on Gaza, calling for the permanent resettlement of its Palestinian population and proposing a long-term U.S. military commitment to the territory. His remarks have drawn swift condemnation from Arab nations, human rights groups, and international leaders.

Trump, speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterated his call for Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab states to take in Gazans, arguing that they have “no alternative” but to leave the war-ravaged enclave. Unlike previous statements suggesting temporary relocation, Trump explicitly endorsed permanent resettlement.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri denounced the proposal as “expulsion from their land,” warning that it would create “chaos and tension in the region.” The Saudi government issued a statement firmly rejecting any displacement of Palestinians and reaffirming that it would not establish ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.

Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East, warned that Trump’s plan would require a prolonged U.S. military presence and could be seen as Washington failing to learn from past nation-building efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The proposal aligns with the views of Israel’s far-right factions but contradicts the position of Democratic President Joe Biden, who has opposed mass displacement of Palestinians. Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East adviser to both Republican and Democratic administrations, said Trump’s remarks gave Netanyahu a “huge pass” and validated “almost every right-wing fantasy in Israel.”

Trump has yet to provide specifics on how such a resettlement would be implemented, but experts caution that forced displacement of Gaza’s population could violate international law and face fierce opposition from Washington’s Western allies.

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