United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled an extraordinary plan for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip, relocate Palestinians to other countries, and transform the war-ravaged territory into what he described as “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump made the shocking proposal during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, eliciting audible gasps from those in attendance.
The former real estate mogul outlined a vision to clear Gaza of unexploded bombs and debris before undertaking a large-scale economic redevelopment. However, he provided no specifics on how he would remove over two million Palestinians from the enclave or maintain control over it.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump declared.
He claimed to have backing from the “highest leadership” in the Middle East and intensified pressure on Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Gazans, despite both countries and Palestinian leaders firmly rejecting the proposal.
Advocating what he called “long-term ownership” of Gaza, Trump argued that his vision would turn it into a premier tourist destination.
“This could be something that could be so magnificent,” he said.
Netanyahu, a key US ally, responded positively, stating that Trump’s plan could “change history” and deserved “paying attention to.”
The Israeli prime minister’s visit to the White House, the first by a foreign leader since Trump’s return to power, was initially intended to discuss efforts to secure a second phase of the Israel-Hamas truce after an initial six-week ceasefire. However, Trump’s radical proposal quickly overshadowed other discussions.
Trump, who also suggested he might personally visit Gaza, appeared to imply that the territory would not be rebuilt for its current Palestinian inhabitants.
“It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have… lived there and died there and lived a miserable existence there,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Palestinian envoy to the United Nations Riyad Mansour strongly rejected Trump’s call for mass Palestinian resettlement, even before the proposal for a US takeover had been announced.
“Our homeland is our homeland,” Mansour asserted. “And I think that leaders and people should respect the wishes of the Palestinian people.”
Residents of Gaza also condemned Trump’s plan.
“Trump thinks Gaza is a pile of garbage—absolutely not,” said Hatem Azzam, a 34-year-old resident of Rafah in southern Gaza.
Trump did not elaborate on how he would execute his vision but suggested that US military forces might be deployed to the volatile region “if necessary.”
This is not the first time Trump has spoken about Gaza in terms of real estate potential. In October, he suggested it could be developed into a destination “better than Monaco.”
Standing beside Trump, Netanyahu hailed him as Israel’s “greatest friend” and praised his “willingness to think outside the box.”
Although the two leaders have had tensions in the past, Netanyahu has embraced Trump’s return to office, particularly as his relations with former US President Joe Biden became strained over the high civilian death toll in Gaza.
Netanyahu did not rule out a resumption of hostilities with Hamas or potential confrontations with other regional foes, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran.
“We will end the war by winning the war,” he declared, while also vowing to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
The Israeli leader expressed confidence that a deal to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia was “going to happen.”
However, after Trump’s proposal was made public, Saudi Arabia reiterated that it would not formalize diplomatic ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established.
Trump’s Gaza plan is expected to face fierce opposition from Palestinians and governments across the Middle East. Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar—key mediators in ceasefire negotiations—have all categorically rejected the suggestion of forcibly relocating Palestinians.
The war in Gaza erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, taking 251 hostages. According to official Israeli figures, 76 of those hostages remain in captivity, including 34 whom the Israeli military believes to be dead.
The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians. Israel’s military response has since claimed at least 47,518 lives in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures reliable.
The truce, which took effect on January 18, has facilitated a significant influx of humanitarian aid, including food, fuel, and medical supplies into Gaza. It has also allowed displaced residents to return to the northern parts of the territory.
Despite the ceasefire in Gaza, Israel has launched military operations against suspected militants in the occupied West Bank, resulting in additional casualties.
