Hamas has hit out at President Donald Trump after he outlined his plans for the future of Gaza.
Gaza has faced severe destruction since the events of October 7, 2023, with a ceasefire being declared 15 months later, on January 15, 2025.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump, 78, outlined his vision for Gaza, stating: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” per the New York Post.
He described a plan to clear the war-torn enclave, remove unexploded bombs and weapons, demolish damaged buildings, and redevelop the area to create jobs and housing.
“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out and create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” Trump said.
The president also suggested relocating Gaza’s roughly two million residents to neighboring countries, asserting that they would not have a right to return.
“Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years,” he stated.
Trump did not specify how the relocation would be carried out but indicated that some Palestinians would be permitted to return under a transformed Gaza, which he envisioned as “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
He added that U.S. troops would be deployed to the area “if it’s necessary.”
Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri made it clear that Gaza’s residents would not tolerate U.S. intervention.
“Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass, and what is required is to end the occupation and aggression against our people, not expel them from their land,” he said, via News.com.au.
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Hamas has held power in Gaza for 15 years.
Netanyahu appeared to support the proposal, saying: “I think it’s something that could change history and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue.”
The Israeli leader praised Trump’s perspective, stating: “[Trump] sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so many attacks against us, so many trials and so many tribulations. He has a different idea, and I think it’s worth paying attention to this.”
Trump did not provide a timeline for the plan but described it as a “strong recommendation” for regional peace.
“I’ve studied this very closely over a lot of months, and I’ve seen it from every different angle,” he said. “I spoke to other leaders of countries in the Middle East and they love the idea. They say it really brings stability and what we need is stability.”
The remarks come after a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas last month, following Trump’s warning that the militant group would face “hell” if it failed to negotiate a deal before his potential return to office on January 20.
Despite Egypt and Jordan rejecting his request to accept Palestinian refugees, Trump insisted they would eventually agree.
