Former US President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States should “take over” the Gaza Strip as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas, Voice of America reported.
At a joint press conference, Trump said, “The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it.” He outlined a plan to remove unexploded bombs, demolish destroyed buildings, and “create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing.”
Trump also reiterated his stance that Gaza’s two million residents should relocate to other Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Jordan. “It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have really stood there and fought for it and lived there and died there,” he added.
Netanyahu praised Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had” and said his Gaza plan could “change history.”
Trump’s proposal has been met with strong opposition. Egypt and Jordan have rejected the idea of absorbing displaced Palestinians, while Palestinian leaders have called on the international community to respect their rights. A Gaza resident, Hatem Azzam, dismissed Trump’s comments, saying, “Trump thinks Gaza is a pile of garbage—absolutely not.”
Meanwhile, the first phase of the ceasefire, brokered in January, has allowed for hostage exchanges between Israel and Hamas. Hamas has released 18 hostages, while Israel has freed around 600 Palestinian prisoners. However, 76 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Despite the ceasefire in Gaza, violence continues in the occupied West Bank. Israel has intensified operations in Jenin, where recent clashes resulted in casualties. The UN refugee agency UNRWA has warned that the situation in Jenin is “heading toward catastrophe.”
Israel’s military has killed at least 47,518 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza.