Trump: Israel Will Hand Over Gaza to US After War

WASHINGTON, FRIDAY — United States President Donald Trump stated that the presence of the US military is no longer needed in the Gaza Strip. Trump mentioned that Israel will hand over the territory to the US after the fighting ends and the Palestinian population is relocated elsewhere.

"Gaza Strip will be handed over to the US by Israel after the fighting ends," said Trump on Truth Social, Thursday (6/2/2025). "Palestinians will be relocated to a much safer and more beautiful community with new and modern homes in the area," he added.

The plan was welcomed by the Israeli government and several right-wing politicians in the country, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, a former minister in Netanyahu's cabinet. "Donald, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship," said Ben-Gvir on platform X.

Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, welcomed the plan and moved quickly. He stated that he had ordered the Israeli army to prepare a plan to allow Gaza residents who wish to leave the area.

"I welcome President Trump's bold plan. The residents of Gaza should be given the freedom to leave and emigrate, as is the norm around the world," said Katz on X.

He stated that the plan he is currently drafting includes options for exit via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departures by sea and air.

Trump's plan, a real estate developer turned politician, has sparked outrage, not only in the Middle East but also around the world. The discourse, which Trump claims is only a temporary relocation, was revealed by Trump just as Israel and the Palestinian liberation movement group, Hamas, resumed the second phase of ceasefire negotiations.

The negotiations are expected to pave the way for the full withdrawal of Israeli military from the Gaza Strip, the release of the next hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the end of the war that has lasted nearly 16 months.

Saudi Arabia, a key US ally in the Middle East, has flatly rejected the proposal. Saudi Arabia, which was a prime target for normalizing relations with Israel during Trump's first term, has rejected the move as an attempt to annex land and expel Palestinians. This would bury the Palestinian people's dream of having their own country and homeland.

"We will not sell our land to you, real estate developers. We are hungry, homeless and desperate, but we are not collaborators," said Abdel Ghani, a Gaza resident. "If (Trump) wants to help, let him come and rebuild for us here," added the father of four.

Trump and Israeli officials have not said how they would act if Palestinians refuse to leave. But Human Rights Watch and other Palestinian rights groups have said the move would amount to “ethnic cleansing,” the forced removal of an ethnic group’s civilian population from a geographic area.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has not publicly responded to Trump's plan. However, in a statement on Thursday (2/6/2025), the Egyptian government rejected efforts to move Palestinians from Gaza as a blatant violation of international law that could undermine ceasefire talks and threaten the Middle East.

“This behavior triggers a return to hostilities and poses risks to the entire region and the foundations of peace,” Cairo said in a statement.

Egyptian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Cairo had made it clear to the Trump administration and Israel that it would reject such a proposal, and that if it went ahead, it would jeopardize Egypt and Israel’s nearly half-century-old agreement.

A Western diplomat in Cairo, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed receiving a message of Egyptian government opposition. The diplomat said Egypt was very serious about the plan and viewed it as a threat to its national security.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Gaza residents should be relocated as the territory is being rebuilt. He did not say whether there was any guarantee that displaced residents would be able to return and exercise their rights.

Axios reports that Rubio plans to visit the Middle East in mid-February 2025 with an itinerary that includes Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

The impact of Trump's proposal on ceasefire talks remains unclear. So far, only 13 of the 33 Israeli hostages to be released in the first phase have been repatriated. Three more hostages are due to be released on Saturday (February 8, 2025).

Hamas has repeatedly denounced Trump's proposal. In a statement on Thursday (6/2/2025), Hamas stated that any US takeover of Gaza would be considered an occupation of the territory. This implies that Hamas could respond with armed resistance.

Hamas official Basem Naim accused Katz's plan to begin preparations for the move as an attempt to cover up Israel's military failure to achieve its war aims. Naim also said Palestinians were too attached to their land to leave.

The displacement of Palestinians has been one of the most sensitive issues in the Middle East for decades. Forced displacement or coercion of a population under military occupation is a war crime, prohibited under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

Like Trump and Katz, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said a different idea was needed to rebuild Gaza. He said any departures must be voluntary and other countries must be willing to accept them.

"We don't have the details yet, but we can talk about principles," Saar told a news conference with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani. "Everything must be based on the free will of the individual and, on the other hand, the will of the country that is ready to absorb."

Katz said countries that oppose Israel's military operations in Gaza must accept Palestinians. "Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway and others, who have leveled false accusations and claims against Israel for its actions in Gaza, are legally obliged to allow Gazans to enter their territory," he said.

In Israel, the idea has strong support, especially from right-wing groups that have long pushed for the expulsion of Gazans and encouraged the development of Jewish settlements there.

(AP/Reuters)