Trump sparks global outrage with proposal for U.S. occupation of Gaza

In a shocking statement on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed that the United States occupy Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” He further suggested that the nearly 2 million Palestinians living there should be relocated to Egypt and Jordan.

Trump’s comments came after a meeting in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Within hours, Saudi Arabia responded by reiterating it would not normalize relations with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established, the New York Times reports. 

Countries around the globe, including Russia, rebuked the idea. 

“This is out of the question,” Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya told Al-Jazeera. “The Palestinians don’t want it, the world community doesn’t want it, and you cannot forcefully resettle someone, somewhere.”

Trump’s suggestion was also met with disbelief and outrage in the United States, particularly among Democrats, Newsweek reports.

Senator Chris Murphy expressed strong opposition on X (formerly Twitter), saying:

“He's totally lost it. A U.S. invasion of Gaza would lead to the slaughter of thousands of U.S. troops and decades of war in the Middle East. It's like a bad, sick joke.”

Representative Eric Swalwell of California was equally incredulous, writing:

“Wait, what? The U.S. is going to occupy Gaza? We were promised no more endless wars. By my count, we are occupying Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal, and now… Gaza?”

Despite widespread criticism, Trump’s proposal found support among some Israeli officials and members of the Republican Party.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar praised Trump’s approach, calling it “out-of-the-box thinking” and stating that “Gaza, in its current form, has no future.”

Some analysts believe Trump’s extreme proposal is a calculated move to strengthen Israel’s position in ongoing negotiations. 

“Trump is applying maximum pressure on Hamas to force them into concessions,” Palestinian political scientist Professor Mkhaimar Abusada told The New York Times. “At the same time, he is pressuring regional powers to accept a settlement that favors Israel—just like what happened with the UAE.”

As the international community reacts to Trump’s controversial remarks, the president has hinted at further policy announcements, including a possible statement on Israel annexing parts of the West Bank in the coming weeks.