United States President Donald Trump has mentioned that the US will “take over” and “personal” Gaza as a part of a plan to show the enclave into “the Riviera of the Center East”.
In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Trump mentioned his administration would spearhead an financial improvement that will “provide limitless numbers of jobs and housing for the individuals of the world”.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we’ll do a job with it, too. We’ll personal it,” Trump mentioned on the White on Tuesday after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including that Washington can be answerable for clearing destroyed buildings and dismantling “harmful unexploded bombs and different weapons”.
Trump mentioned he envisioned the US taking a “long-term possession place” over the enclave.
“This was not a call made calmly. Everyone I’ve spoken to loves the thought of america proudly owning that piece of land, growing and creating hundreds of jobs with one thing that might be magnificent,” he mentioned.
Trump additionally expressed his hope that displaced Palestinians in Gaza can be “completely” resettled and the enclave may turn into house to the “world’s individuals”.
“For those who return, it is going to find yourself the identical because it has for 100 years,” Trump mentioned.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we’ll do a job with it, too.” –President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/aCqLl9Gwwn
— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 5, 2025
Requested if US troopers may very well be despatched to Gaza to keep up safety, Trump mentioned it was a chance.
“So far as Gaza is worried, we’ll do what is critical. If it’s vital, we’ll do this,” he mentioned.
Democrat lawmakers instantly forged doubt on Trump’s proposal.
“I’ve information for you – we aren’t taking up Gaza. However the media and the chattering class will give attention to it for just a few days and Trump could have succeeded in distracting everybody from the true story – the billionaires seizing authorities to steal from common individuals,” Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator for Connecticut, mentioned on X.
Trump’s extraordinary proposal is all however sure to roil the following spherical of negotiations to increase the delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Trump has repeatedly taken credit score for the ceasefire deal, which got here into impact on January 19, the day earlier than he took workplace.
He blamed the overseas coverage of his predecessor Joe Biden for permitting the struggle in Gaza to start within the first place.
“No person did something for 4 years besides within the unfavorable,” Trump mentioned at one level throughout his information convention, referring to Biden’s time period in workplace. “Sadly, the weak spot and incompetence of these previous 4 years [caused] the grave harm across the globe.”
Nonetheless, Trump has forged doubt on the power of the ceasefire and whether or not it will final.
“The strikes may begin tomorrow,” Trump mentioned on Tuesday. “There’s not so much left to strike.”
The preliminary 42-day truce, which can see the discharge of 33 Israeli captives and practically 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, expires on March 1.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Palestinian group Hamas mentioned that negotiations for a second part of the ceasefire have begun. If agreed to, that part would see the total withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the liberating of all captives.
However Trump lashed out on the group in his remarks, praising Israel’s efforts to chop off assets to Gaza.