Trump's proposal to "buy and own" Gaza stirs international outrage

Monday 10 February 2025 - 09:41

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his controversial proposal to take control of Gaza, stating his commitment to "buying and owning" the war-torn region. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump described Gaza as a "large real estate site" and suggested that Middle Eastern countries could be tasked with rebuilding parts of it.

Trump emphasized the U.S. intention to "own" Gaza, ensuring Hamas does not return. He claimed that displaced Palestinians might not wish to return, stating that if they had a safer alternative, they would not seek to go back to Gaza.

Hamas, the Palestinian political faction governing Gaza, rejected Trump's proposal, calling it "absurd" and insisting that Gaza is not a property for sale. Hamas reaffirmed that it is an integral part of occupied Palestinian land.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the proposal, describing it as "revolutionary." The U.S. president had previously suggested transforming Gaza into a luxury destination akin to the "Riviera of the Middle East," but faced backlash over the idea. Trump, a real estate developer before his presidency, provided few details on how he would implement the plan, which raises both practical and ethical challenges.

Despite early suggestions that U.S. military forces might be deployed, Trump later indicated that no American soldiers would be needed. Neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan rejected the idea of resettling displaced Palestinians, and Saudi Arabia condemned Netanyahu's proposal to use Saudi land for a Palestinian state.

This proposal continues to face widespread condemnation, particularly in the context of the ongoing Israeli occupation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.