In shock announcement, Trump says U.S. wants to take over Gaza Strip

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would assume control of the war-torn Gaza Strip and economically advance it after Palestinians are relocated elsewhere, moves that would disrupt decades of U.S. policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump revealed his unexpected plan, lacking details, during a joint press conference on Tuesday alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The announcement came after Trump’s surprising suggestion on Tuesday regarding the permanent relocation of over two million Palestinians from Gaza to surrounding nations, labeling the enclave—currently under the first phase of a delicate Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release agreement—as a “demolition site.”

Trump should anticipate that both supporters and opponents will vocally resist any U.S. acquisition of Gaza, and his suggestion prompts doubts about whether Saudi Arabia, a key Middle Eastern power, would be prepared to participate in a refreshed U.S.-mediated effort for a landmark normalization of ties with Israel, a U.S. ally.

The U.S. acquiring a direct interest in Gaza would contradict longstanding policy in Washington and for much of the international community, which has maintained that Gaza would belong to a future Palestinian state that encompasses the occupied West Bank. “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.”

“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. “I do see a long-term ownership position and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East.”

Asked who would live there, Trump said it could become a home to “the world’s people.” Trump touted the narrow strip, where Israel’s military assault in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack has leveled large swaths, as having the potential to be “The Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump did not directly address a question regarding how and under what authority the U.S. might seize and occupy Gaza, a coastal area that is 25 miles (45 km) long and up to 6 miles (10 km) wide, known for its violent history. Various U.S. administrations, including Trump during his initial term, had refrained from sending U.S. troops there.

Numerous Democratic legislators swiftly criticized the Gaza proposals put forth by the Republican president. Some analysts have indicated that Trump occasionally adopts an extreme stance globally to establish the boundaries for upcoming negotiations. During his initial term, Trump occasionally made foreign policy statements that were perceived as excessive, many of which were ultimately not put into action.

Jonathan Panikoff, who previously served as the deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Near East, remarked that Trump’s proposal would entail a prolonged U.S. military engagement and if realized, would be perceived by the Arab world as Washington “failing to grasp the lessons of nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Trump previously reiterated his request for Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab nations to accept Gazans, asserting that Palestinians had no choice but to leave the coastal area, which needs reconstruction following nearly 16 months of a destructive conflict between Israel and Hamas militants.

However, this time Trump stated he would back the “permanent” resettlement of Palestinians, exceeding his earlier proposals that Arab leaders had firmly dismissed.  The forced relocation of Gaza’s residents would probably breach international law and would face strong opposition both in the area and from Washington’s Western partners. Certain human rights supporters compare the concept to ethnic cleansing.