U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip, calling for a “long-term ownership position” over the war-torn region. Watch the video below.
The statement came during a joint press conference at the White House on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking Netanyahu’s first visit since Trump’s return to office.
Trump asserted that the U.S. would assume responsibility for Gaza, claiming that his administration would help clear unexploded bombs and weapons.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on this site,” he stated.
During the press briefing, Trump suggested that Palestinians could be permanently relocated to another region, stating, “It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn’t want to return.” He described Gaza as a “demolition site,” questioning why its residents would want to remain there.
This proposal echoes a previous plan by Trump’s administration, which suggested relocating displaced Palestinians to other Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Jordan. However, both nations had previously rejected the idea.
Netanyahu praised Trump for his strong support of Israel, calling him the “greatest friend Israel has ever had.” He expressed optimism about a potential peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. “I think peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not only feasible, I think it’s going to happen,” Netanyahu stated.
Meanwhile, Trump noted that Washington had not yet taken a position on recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank but hinted that a decision could be announced in the coming month.
The meeting also touched on the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Prior to Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington, his office confirmed that Israel would send a delegation to Doha, Qatar, for further negotiations later this week.
A statement released by Netanyahu’s office said, “Israel is preparing for the working-level delegation to leave for Doha at the end of this week in order to discuss technical details related to the continued implementation of the agreement.”
Hamas has also indicated its willingness to continue discussions, with mediation from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar.
The second phase of the ceasefire negotiations will focus on securing the release of remaining Israeli hostages and taking concrete steps toward ending the conflict that began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.