The U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza, stating that the U.S. will own Gaza and build it through other wealthy countries in the Middle East, saying, “I am determined to purchase and take ownership of Gaza.”

During a conversation with journalists on Air Force One, Trump expressed that allowing the return of Gazans would be a mistake. He pictured it as a large real estate site that the U.S. would acquire, developing very slowly. He declared, “NO ONE WILL BE THERE.” Trump defined Gaza as a complete ruin to be rebuilt from scratch by wealthy countries, with phrases like, “It will be taken back. It will be flattened, fixed. No one will be there. No Hamas. We will build it through other very rich countries in the Middle East. They will create beautiful places to live for people, for Palestinians. They will probably, for the first time in hundreds of years, live in harmony and peace.”

Stating, “I am determined to purchase and take ownership of Gaza,” Trump argued that there is nothing left for Gazans to return to, asserting, “It’s very unsafe, but we will turn it into a very good place to be developed in the future by someone. We will allow some countries to develop some parts of it. It will be beautiful. People from all over the world can come and live there.” When asked if forcibly displaced Palestinians would be accepted in the U.S., Trump answered, “I have to look at that, I think there’s a long way for them to come here, but I have to look at individual cases. The U.S. already takes in many people, it’s too far for them.”

Trump expressed his belief that Gazans would be happier living in a secure general area than staying in Gaza, looking to Egypt, Jordan, and other countries for help. He mentioned hoping that countries like Saudi Arabia, with a vast amount of money, would be willing to spend some to make people feel comfortable and safe.

REACTIONS TO TRUMP

Following Trump’s statements, the Palestinian Permanent Observer to the UN Riyad Mansur urged world leaders to respect Palestinians’ desire to stay in Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri found Trump’s words “ridiculous and absurd.” Abu Zuhri declared, “Trump’s desire to control Gaza is ridiculous and absurd. Such ideas can inflame tension in the region.” Saudi Arabia firmly stated, “Our position on Gaza is extremely clear and unequivocal, it is not subject to interpretation. Relations with Israel will not be established until the Palestinian State is established.”