At a joint press appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed resettling Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and placing the region under U.S. control.
“I strongly believe that the Gaza Strip, which has been a symbol of death and destruction for so many decades … has been an unlucky place for a long time. Being in its presence has not been good, and it should not go through a process of occupation and rebuilding by the same people that have stood there, and fought for it, and lived there and died there,” President Trump said.
“Instead we should go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts… and build various domains that will ultimately be occupied by the 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza, ending the death and destruction and, frankly, bad luck.”
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” the president said. “We’ll own it, and we’ll be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings.”
This will “create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” President Trump said.
Trump suggets Palestinians should not return to Gaza
He did not rule out the use of military force to secure the region, saying “we will do what’s necessary to take over and create peace.”
The proposal is a significant departure from previous U.S. endorsements of a two-state solution in Gaza. President Trump indicated that he had given thought to that change and believed other nations would support it.
It also echoes a series of expansionist proposals President Trump has made since winning reelection, in which he has floated annexation of Greenland and sought more control over the Panama Canal.
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Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Trump for his continued efforts in support of Israel.
“To secure our future, and bring peace to our region, we have to finish the job” Netanyahu said of Israel’s conflict with Hamas. “In Gaza, Israel has three goals: destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, secure the release of all our hostages and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
“Israel will end the war by winning the war,” Netanyahu said. “We’ll not only win the war, working together we’ll win the peace.”
“I believe we will forge a brilliant future for our region and bring our great alliance to even greater heights.”
Netanyahu endorsed President Trump’s proposal, repeating that U.S. control of the Gaza Strip would align with Israel’s goals to eliminate the threat that he says it poses to his nation.
“I think it’s something that could change history. It’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” he said.
Trump envisions ‘long-term’ US ownership of the Gaza region
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Both leaders also indicated a renewed focus on reducing the threat posed by Iran.
“They cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” President Trump said.
“If this goal can be achieved by a maximum pressure campaign, so be it,” Netanyahu said.
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President Trump met with Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, in their first face-to-face meeting since President Trump returned to power last month. Netanyahu is also the first foreign leader to visit the White House since President Trump returned to office.
Speaking to reporters in the White House earlier in the day, President Trump indicated he hoped neighboring countries of Egypt and Jordan would be open to accepting Palestinian refugee settlements.
“Gaza is a guarantee that they’re going to end up dying. The same thing’s going to happen again. It’s happened over and over again,” President Trump said. “I hope that we can do something where they wouldn’t want to go back, who wouldn’t want to go back, they experienced nothing but death and destruction.”
The meeting comes amid an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which both leaders sounded optimism for on Tuesday. They have indicated the continued ceasefire is key to maintaining stability in the region — though it’s unclear how Trump’s proposal to annex Gaza would affect that balance, or the arrangement of hostage exchanges that has accompanied it.
During the ceasefire, Israel has handed over hundreds of prisoners in exchange for some of the hostages Hamas has held captive since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
Both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration played a role in the negotiations that led to a ceasefire.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, worked closely alongside former President Joe Biden’s special envoy to the region to help negotiate the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
“The ceasefire was extended because of the work of President Trump and his presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, who has proven to be an incredibly effective negotiator, and the president and this entire administration are committed to having all of the hostages come home, and as you’ve seen, his team is working very, very hard to do that,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.