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 are going to 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 accountable 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 choice made calmly. Everyone I’ve spoken to loves the concept of the USA 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 develop into dwelling to the “world’s individuals”.
“For those who return, it’s 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 are going to 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 important. If it’s obligatory, we’ll try this,” he mentioned.
Democrat lawmakers instantly forged doubt on Trump’s proposal.
“I’ve information for you – we aren’t taking on Gaza. However the media and the chattering class will concentrate on it for just a few days and Trump may have succeeded in distracting everybody from the actual 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 international coverage of his predecessor Joe Biden for permitting the battle in Gaza to start within the first place.
“No person did something for 4 years besides within the adverse,” Trump mentioned at one level throughout his information convention, referring to Biden’s time period in workplace. “Sadly, the weak point and incompetence of these previous 4 years [caused] the grave injury across the globe.”
Nonetheless, Trump has forged doubt on the power of the ceasefire and whether or not it might final.
“The strikes may begin tomorrow,” Trump mentioned on Tuesday. “There’s not loads left to strike.”
The preliminary 42-day truce, which can see the discharge of 33 Israeli captives and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, expires on March 1.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Palestinian group Hamas mentioned that negotiations for a second section of the ceasefire have begun. If agreed to, that section would see the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the releasing of all captives.
However Trump lashed out on the group in his remarks, praising Israel’s efforts to chop off assets to Gaza.
