Trump suggests permanently relocating Palestinians for U.S. control of Gaza

US President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that he wants his country to take control of the Gaza Strip and rehabilitate it after Palestinians are relocated elsewhere.

"We will own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site," Trump said as he began a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I do see a long-term ownership position," Trump said when questioned about the possibility of the US owning the area for an extended period, adding that he is not ruling out putting US soldiers into Gaza to safeguard it.

He went on to say that the United States will demolish devastated buildings and "create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area."

Netanyahu, whose military has been fighting Hamas militants in Gaza for more than a year, said Trump was "thinking outside the box with fresh ideas" and "showing a willingness to puncture conventional thinking."

Trump said this would help regional stability, adding, "This is not a decision made lightly."

"Everybody I've spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land."

Saudi Arabia, a crucial US ally in the area, said in a statement that it rejects any attempt to transfer Palestinians from their land and that it will not develop relations with Israel until a Palestinian state is established.

Trump's remarks come only hours after he urged that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be "permanently" moved outside the conflict-torn region.

"You cannot live in Gaza right now. "I think we need another location," Trump stated earlier Tuesday.

"I believe it should be a venue that will make people happy. When you look back decades, Gaza has been devoid of life. This has been happening for several years. It is all death. If we can find a lovely location to permanently resettle people in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot, stabbed, or knifed to death as is occurring in Gaza."

Trump has already asked Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab countries to temporarily take in Palestinians until Gaza is rebuilt following the destructive war between Hamas and Israel, which was halted in January by a ceasefire. Tuesday was the first time he'd publicly suggested making the resettlement permanent.

His suggestions match the demands of Israel's far right and violate former President Joe Biden's commitment to preventing widespread displacement of Palestinians.

Arab states and the Palestinian Authority have both opposed the proposal, which some human rights activists have compared to ethnic cleansing.

The forced expulsion of Gazans would most likely be a violation of international law, and it would be strongly condemned not only in the area but also by Washington's Western allies.

Palestinians see Gaza as part of their future state, and many have expressed a wish to stay and rebuild.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri warned on Wednesday that Trump's comments about taking over the Gaza Strip could destabilize the Middle East.

"Trump's remarks about his desire to control Gaza are ridiculous and absurd, and any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region," Abu Zuhri told a Reuters reporter.

During a joint press conference on Tuesday with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump revealed his surprise plan without revealing specifics.

According to Israeli estimates, the conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250. Dozens of hostages remain in Gaza.

According to local health professionals, Israel retaliated by launching an offensive that killed over 46,000 Palestinians and displaced the great majority of Gaza's inhabitants.

Israel has been accused of genocide in Gaza to the extent of death and destruction, which it denies, claiming that it follows international law and has the right to self-defence following the Hamas offensive.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and the former Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.