Trump stated that the U.S. aims to take control of the Gaza Strip.

He made this statement on Tuesday during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting the U.S., as reported by Reuters and relayed by Ukrinform.

“The U.S. will take control of the Gaza Strip, and we will work with it. We will manage it and be responsible for dismantling all dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons in this area. We will develop it, creating thousands and thousands of jobs, and this will be something the entire Middle East can be proud of,” Trump stated, adding that “this will bring great stability to this part of the Middle East.”

Earlier that same day, Trump suggested relocating over two million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, referring to the enclave as a “demolition site.”

In response to a question about who would live there, Trump mentioned that Gaza could become a home for “the peoples of the world.” He described the enclave as potentially the “Riviera of the Middle East.” However, the U.S. president did not provide any specifics on how the relocation process might be carried out.

Trump also did not give a direct answer regarding how and under what authority the U.S. could occupy and take control of Gaza—a coastal strip measuring 45 km long and at most 10 km wide.

The publication notes that Netanyahu, whom Trump referred to several times as “Bibi,” did not engage in a deep discussion of this proposal but praised Trump, stating that he “thinks outside the box, with fresh ideas” and “demonstrates a willingness to break traditional thinking.”

A damage assessment published in January by the UN indicated that clearing over 50 million tons of debris left in Gaza after Israeli bombings could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.

“The direct involvement of the U.S. in Gaza would contradict the long-standing policy of Washington and much of the international community, which believes that Gaza will be part of a future Palestinian state that includes the occupied West Bank,” the media resource states.

As reported by Ukrinform, Trump had previously called on Jordan and Egypt to take in residents from Gaza, asserting that Palestinians need to leave the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after the war between Israel and Hamas. However, Jordan and Egypt have officially rejected these proposals.

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