Trump proposes U.S. takeover of Gaza, envisions luxury resort

President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled a controversial proposal for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip, relocate its Palestinian population to other countries, and transform the war-ravaged enclave into a luxury tourism destination he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump made the surprise announcement, drawing audible gasps from the press. The president claimed that top Middle Eastern leaders supported the idea and suggested that Egypt and Jordan should absorb displaced Gazans—despite both nations rejecting similar proposals in the past.

“The U.S. will take over Gaza,” Trump declared. “We’ll own it, and we will do a job with it. It’ll be unbelievable.”

The plan, which lacked specifics on how the U.S. would remove over two million Palestinians or establish control over Gaza, suggested clearing the enclave of debris and unexploded ordnance before initiating economic redevelopment.

Trump did not rule out deploying U.S. troops in one of the world’s most volatile regions if necessary. He also floated the idea of personally visiting Gaza, though he indicated the territory should not be rebuilt for its current residents.

“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.

Palestinian leaders swiftly rejected the proposal.

“Our homeland is our homeland,” Palestinian envoy to the U.N. Riyad Mansour said. “Leaders and people should respect the wishes of the Palestinian people.”

Residents of Gaza also dismissed Trump’s remarks.

“Trump thinks Gaza is a pile of garbage—absolutely not,” said Hatem Azzam, a 34-year-old from Rafah.

While Netanyahu did not directly endorse Trump’s vision, he called it a “bold idea” and praised Trump as “Israel’s greatest friend.”

Middle East Resistance

Trump’s remarks further complicated diplomatic efforts in the region. Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks to normalize ties with Israel, reiterated that no agreement would be possible without the establishment of a Palestinian state. Egypt, Jordan, and ceasefire mediator Qatar also rejected the idea of relocating Gazans.

The proposal comes amid efforts to secure an extended truce between Israel and Hamas following Israel’s invasion of Gaza, which began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. That assault left 1,210 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians, and saw 251 hostages taken into Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed at least 47,518 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Though a temporary ceasefire has allowed aid to flow into the devastated enclave, Netanyahu insisted that hostilities with Hamas and other regional adversaries may not be over.

“We will end the war by winning the war,” he said.

Trump’s sweeping vision for Gaza is expected to face significant opposition from both regional and international leaders, raising questions about its feasibility and the political motivations behind the proposal.

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