In a stunning proposal, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would “take over” the Gaza Strip, level the area, and rebuild it, suggesting that Palestinians living there should relocate elsewhere.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump outlined his vision for Gaza, saying:
“They instead can occupy all of a beautiful area with homes and safety, and they can live out their lives in peace and harmony in other areas or countries.”
Trump proposed that the U.S. would assume control of Gaza, dismantle unexploded bombs and weapons, and completely level the site before rebuilding.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump declared. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings.”
He suggested replacing Gaza’s ruins with a massive economic development project aimed at creating jobs and housing.
“Do a real job. Do something different,” he said.
Trump proposed relocating Gaza’s 1.8 million Palestinians to other countries, stating that nations with “humanitarian hearts” would be willing to accept them.
“We should go to other countries of interest, and there are many of them that want to do this,” he stated. “This can be paid for by neighboring countries of great wealth. It could be one, two, three, four, five, seven, eight, 12. It could be numerous sites, or it could be one large site.”
He insisted that such a plan would end the suffering of the Palestinian people, saying:
“The only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is they have no alternative.”
Trump suggested that the U.S. would maintain long-term control of Gaza, claiming it would bring “great stability” to the region.
“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East and maybe the entire Middle East,” he said.
He added that global leaders support the idea of the U.S. “owning” Gaza and turning it into a thriving economic hub.
“Everybody I have spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent in a really magnificent area,” Trump said.
Trump envisioned Gaza as a transformed, high-end destination, referring to it as a potential “Riviera of the Middle East.”
“History, as you know, just can’t let it keep repeating itself. We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal,” he said. “The potential in the Gaza Strip is unbelievable.”
When asked who would live in this reimagined Gaza, Trump responded simply: “the world’s people.”
The proposal has raised significant questions about its feasibility, legality, and how Palestinians would be relocated.
Earlier in the Oval Office, when asked by a reporter whether Palestinians would have the right to return, Trump did not provide a clear answer.
The international community and Middle East leaders are likely to respond sharply to Trump’s unprecedented proposal, which would reshape one of the most volatile regions in the world.