Trump says he wants US to take over Gaza Strip

President Trump has suggested a new and unexpected plan for Gaza. He wants the United States to take control of Gaza after moving its Palestinian residents to other countries, which would be a major change from how the U.S. has handled this situation for many years.

Trump shared this idea during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier that day, Trump had already suggested moving Gaza’s more than two million Palestinians to nearby countries, calling Gaza a “demolition site.”

This plan would likely face strong opposition from both U.S. allies and enemies. It could also affect efforts to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which the U.S. has been trying to help arrange.

Trump’s idea goes against long-standing U.S. policy, which has always viewed Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state alongside the West Bank. Trump envisions turning Gaza into a developed area, saying “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.” He talked about clearing dangerous weapons and creating jobs, even suggesting Gaza could become a “Riviera of the Middle East.”

However, Trump didn’t explain how the U.S. would legally take control of Gaza or what authority it would have to do so. Gaza is a small coastal area that has seen intense fighting, and previous U.S. presidents, including Trump during his first term, avoided sending U.S. troops there.

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Netanyahu, Israel’s leader, didn’t directly comment on Trump’s plan but praised him for “thinking outside the box.” Democratic lawmakers quickly opposed these ideas, and experts pointed out potential problems. One former intelligence officer mentioned that this would require a long U.S. military presence and might repeat mistakes made in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trump’s suggestion to permanently resettle Palestinians in other countries would likely violate international law and face strong opposition. Hamas, which currently controls Gaza, strongly rejected the idea of moving Gazans from their land.

This proposal comes during Trump’s first two weeks back in office, where he’s made several bold statements about international expansion, including suggestions about Greenland, the Panama Canal, and making Canada the 51st state. Critics say this kind of talk sounds like old-style imperialism and might encourage other countries like Russia and China in their territorial ambitions.

Trump presented his vision as a development opportunity but didn’t provide details about how the U.S. would secure and manage Gaza, or where its Palestinian residents would go, even though neighbouring countries have already said they won’t accept them.