Trump says US will 'level' Gaza Strip & 'take over' to rebuild it, suggests Palestinians be relocated

In keeping with his strong support for Israel during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, President Donald Trump has declared that the U.S. will "take over" the Gaza Strip and called for Palestinians from the area to be permanently relocated to Egypt and Jordan.

Trump was speaking at a press conference on Feb. 5, 2025 (Singapore time) after meeting with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Level it and take over

During his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump said:

"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip... level the site, get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area."

Trump did not explain how he would persuade the Palestinians to voluntarily leave their homes, nor did he specify if Israel would exercise sovereignty over the territory, given that Trump did not commit to a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.

"It doesn’t mean anything about a two-state or one-state or any other state, it means that we want to give people a chance at life because the Gaza Strip has been a hell hole," Trump said.

Trump also did not rule out sending American troops to Gaza, and said he envisioned a rebuilt Gaza as the "Riviera of the Middle East".

"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip. I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East," he said during the press conference.

What about the Palestinians?

Trump again expressed his wish that Egypt and Jordan would take in Palestinian refugees, perhaps on a permanent basis

"I have a feeling that the king in Jordan and the general in Egypt will open their hearts and give us the kind of land that we need to get this done," Trump said.

Both countries have previously expressed their reservations about accepting Palestinian refugees.

During the Israel-Hamas war, Egypt refused to open the Rafah land border crossing, citing security concerns and the historical rights of the Palestinians to hold on to their land in Gaza.

In particular, Egypt is wary of potentially allowing Palestinian militants into its territory, acting against the Egyptian government, as well as potentially attacking Israel from within Egypt.

If Israel retaliates against Palestinian militants on Egyptian soil, that would break the historic 1979 peace deal between Israel and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Jordan has already taken in 2.39 million Palestinians and cited financial and humanitarian concerns of taking in more refugees.

Both Egypt and Jordan also object to having the refugees permanently settle in their territory, which goes against the Palestinians' right to return and their push for an independent state of their own.

Palestinian politicians and activists have criticised Trump's comments on "cleaning out" Gaza and proposals to permanently re-settle Palestinians away from Gaza, calling it "ethnic cleansing".

Netanyahu praises Trump

Netanyahu was full of praise for Trump, calling him the greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House.

Trump said he wants the temporary ceasefire deal, announced during his predecessor Joe Biden's term, to be extended.

"I’m hopeful that this ceasefire could be the beginning of a larger and more enduring peace that will end the bloodshed and killing once and for all," he said.

Negotiations on the second phase of the deal will take place in the near future.

Netanyahu also praised Trump for lifting the ban that Biden placed on the export of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concern of their impact on civilian casualties in Gaza.

Trump slammed Biden, saying that the terror attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 would never have occurred if he was still president at the time.

Top image via Anadolu/AFP.