President Donald Trump proposed a drastic shift in US policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting that the US would take control of the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by war, and revitalise its economy. However, this would only happen after the Palestinian population has been relocated to other areas. This plan would essentially upend decades of established US policy on the matter.

During Tuesday’s joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting then, Donald Trump revealed a surprise plan, keeping details under wraps.

The announcement came after Trump’s unexpected proposal earlier on Tuesday, suggesting the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries. He referred to the enclave, where the first phase of a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire is currently in effect, as a “demolition site.”

Trump is likely to face strong opposition from both allies and adversaries regarding any potential U.S. takeover of Gaza. Such a move would contradict long-standing U.S. policy as well as the stance of much of the international community, which has consistently maintained that Gaza should be part of a future Palestinian state, along with the occupied West Bank.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said to reporters. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.” He said in addition, “If it’s necessary, we’ll do that, we’re going to take over that piece, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of”.

“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East,” He expressed confidence in his proposal, mentioning that he had already discussed it with regional leaders, who voiced their support for the concept.

When asked about who would inhabit Gaza, Trump suggested that it could become a home for “the world’s people.” He highlighted the region’s potential, despite the destruction caused by Israel’s military response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, and envisioned it as “The Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump did not give a direct answer when asked how the U.S. could take control of Gaza or under what legal authority such an action could take place. The region, home to around two million people, has a long history of violent conflicts over its control. Past U.S. administrations, including Trump’s own first term, had refrained from deploying American troops in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom Trump referred to several times by his nickname, “Bibi,” did not engage deeply with the proposal. However, he praised Trump for taking a different approach, calling it “thinking outside the box with fresh ideas” and commending his “willingness to puncture conventional thinking.”

Some analysts believe that Trump sometimes adopts extreme positions in international affairs to influence the terms of future negotiations. During his first term, he occasionally made bold foreign policy statements, but many of them were never put into action.

Former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Near East, Jonathan Panikoff, stated Trump’s plan would require a prolonged U.S. military presence. If implemented, it would likely be seen by the Arab world as Washington “not learning its lessons from nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Earlier, Trump had reiterated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take control of Gaza, saying the Palestinians had no choice but to abandon the coastal territory, which must be reconstructed after about 16 months of severe war between militants of Israel and Hamas.

This time, Trump stated that he would support the "permanent" resettlement of Palestinians, a step further than his earlier suggestions, which Arab leaders had firmly rejected.

The forced displacement of Gaza’s population would likely be considered a violation of international law and would face strong opposition not just within the region but also from Washington’s Western allies. Some human rights advocates have compared this idea to ethnic cleansing.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri denounced Trump’s remarks, calling his push for Gazans to leave “expulsion from their land.”

“We consider them a recipe for generating chaos and tension in the region because the people of Gaza will not allow such plans to pass,” Sami Abu Zuhri said.

The Republican Trump did not provide specific details on how the resettlement process would occur. However, his proposal aligned with the views of Israel’s far-right factions and directly opposed the stance of Democratic former President Joe Biden, who has committed to preventing the mass displacement of Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the Saudi government issued a statement reaffirming its strong opposition to any efforts aimed at removing Palestinians from their land. It also emphasised that diplomatic relations with Israel would not be established unless a Palestinian state is created.