Trump wants the US to own it, while Middle Eastern countries help rebuild Gaza
US President Donald Trump said on February 9 that he wants to buy and own Gaza, but may allow other countries in the Middle East to rebuild some areas of this war-torn land.
"I'm committed to buying Gaza and owning it. As for whether we rebuild it or not, maybe we'll let other countries in the Middle East build some of it, or let others do it under our auspices. But we'd love to own it, take it over and make sure that Hamas doesn't come back," Trump said.
President Trump made the statement to reporters aboard Air Force One as he was en route to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.
"There's nothing to go back to. It's like a construction site. The rest will be destroyed. Everything is destroyed," he said.
Trump also said he was willing to consider allowing some Palestinian refugees to immigrate to the US, but would consider each case on a case-by-case basis.
Ezzat El Rashq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, condemned Mr Trump's remarks about buying and owning Gaza.
"Gaza is not a property that can be bought and sold. It is an inseparable part of our occupied Palestinian land," Rashq said, adding that Palestinians would defeat the relocation plans.
Mr. Trump has mentioned the possibility of permanently relocating Palestinians living in Gaza and turning the area into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
Last week, he also floated the idea of the US taking over Gaza and implementing a large-scale reconstruction program, but his statement did not elaborate on the future of the Palestinians after more than a year of Israeli airstrikes in response to a Hamas offensive in October 2023.
It is not yet clear what authority the US will have to declare sovereignty over Gaza. Mr. Trump's announcement was immediately criticized by many countries.
Earlier on February 9, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Mr. Trump is expected to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and possibly Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, although he did not give a specific time for the meetings.
The comments came in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, when Trump was asked about his proposal to take over and redevelop the Gaza Strip.
Herzog did not specify the time and location of the meetings or what was discussed, but he noted that Trump would also meet with Jordan's King Abdullah in the coming days, which Jordan's state news agency confirmed.
“President Trump will meet with important Arab leaders, first of all the King of Jordan, the President of Egypt, and I think the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,” said Mr. Herzog.
"These are partners that need to be listened to, that need to be discussed with. We must respect their views and find ways to build a sustainable plan for the future," he added.
Like many other world leaders, Saudi Arabia has flatly rejected Trump's Gaza plan. According to Reuters, Jordan's King Abdullah is expected to tell Trump at a meeting on February 11 in Washington that the proposal is a "recipe for extremism" that could cause chaos across the Middle East and threaten peace between Jordan and Israel.
The White House has not commented on the matter. Officials in Cairo and Riyadh could not be reached.
