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Trump wants to ‘take over’ Gaza

Holding a news conference with Netanyahu in White House, the US president unveiled plans to cleanse Palestinians from Gaza ethnically

President Donald Trump has made a controversial announcement regarding the Gaza Strip, stating that the United States intends to “take over” the region and “own” it as part of a redevelopment initiative.

This declaration was made during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where Trump outlined his vision for transforming Gaza into what he described as “the Riviera of the Middle East”.

On Tuesday as Trump held pivotal talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at his side in the Oval Office, he suggested that Palestinians should leave Gaza for good “in nice homes and where they can be happy and not be shot, not be killed.”

Trump emphasized that the U.S. would take charge of Gaza, proposing plans to clear hazardous materials and rebuild the area to create jobs and housing opportunities for its residents. He stated, “We will take control of the Gaza Strip, and we will manage it effectively”.

The proposal includes the controversial suggestion that nearly two million Palestinians currently residing in Gaza should be relocated to neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan.

Trump indicated that this move would benefit the displaced individuals and the region’s development.

The announcement has sparked significant backlash. Hamas condemned Trump’s plan as a “recipe for generating chaos,” while Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, reiterated their support for Palestinian rights and rejected any attempts to displace them.

In a statement, the Saudi government said it would not establish relations with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Saudi foreign ministry asserted that the kingdom’s stance on a Palestinian state was “firm and unwavering”.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also reaffirms its unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, land annexation or attempts to displace the Palestinian people,” it said.

Critics have also raised legal concerns, noting that such actions would violate international law regarding sovereignty and forced displacement.

Trump’s proposal to displace Gaza’s population and for a US “takeover” of the Palestinian territory is a “radical plan that violates international law, including the Geneva Conventions,” said Evangeline Cheng, a research associate at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore.

“It is also an idea that would infuriate Arab populations and allies alike while further damaging American standing in the Middle East at a time when this is already at a low end given the previous administration’s unflinching support for Israel in Gaza,” Cheng told Al Jazeera.

“Trump’s assertion that all Gazans must leave, rather than supporting a post-Hamas governance model, suggests a maximalist approach that aligns closely with Israel’s right-wing position,” Cheng said.

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