“I would own it,”: Trump doubles down on Gaza takeover, proposes permanent Palestinian displacement
The UN and other aid groups have warned that more cold and wet weather is expected in Gaza where many people still don’t have shelter or other basic needs met [Eyad Baba/AFP]
US President Donald Trump has reinforced his controversial proposal to block Palestinian return to Gaza, framing his plan as a “real estate development for the future.”
Speaking in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier, Trump insisted, “I would own it,” referring to Gaza, while outlining a vision to relocate Palestinians to up to six different sites outside the enclave.
When asked if Palestinians would have the right to return, Trump replied, “No, they wouldn’t, because they’re going to have much better housing.” He argued that Gaza, largely reduced to rubble by Israeli bombardments, was “not habitable” and that creating “safe communities” elsewhere was the better solution.
Trump first revealed his shock Gaza plan during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sparking global outrage, particularly among Palestinians and the Arab world. Netanyahu, however, welcomed Trump’s “revolutionary” proposal, saying it offered a “much better vision for Israel.”
Trump also floated the idea of pressuring Egypt and Jordan—both major recipients of US military aid—to accept displaced Palestinians, asserting, “I think I could make a deal with them. We give them billions and billions of dollars a year.”
His remarks have triggered a wave of international condemnation, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling the plan “a scandal” and “against international law.”
Meanwhile, critics warn that the proposal threatens the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and could escalate tensions further.
