President Trump’s plan to “buy and own” Gaza and relocate Palestinians has ignited global condemnation, drawing criticism from Palestinian authorities, Hamas, and world leaders over the proposal’s legality and implications.
President Donald Trump has declared that he is “committed to buying and owning” the Gaza Strip, while suggesting that the two million Palestinians living there could be relocated. His controversial plan, which he unveiled last week, has been met with widespread international condemnation.
Trump told reporters that he might allow Middle Eastern nations to assist in rebuilding parts of Gaza, while ensuring that the Palestinian refugees “live beautifully.” Despite his assurances, both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas—who has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with Israel—firmly rejected the notion that Palestinian land could be bought or sold.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, voiced his support for Trump’s proposal, calling it “revolutionary and creative.”
This announcement comes just weeks into a fragile ceasefire following Hamas’s release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire follows the violent escalation that began with Hamas’s unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the capture of 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel launched an extensive military campaign to dismantle Hamas in Gaza.
Since then, over 48,000 people in Gaza have died, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The region has been left in ruin, with almost 70% of its buildings either damaged or destroyed, and its infrastructure—including healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems—collapsing. The population faces severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.
Despite these conditions, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to “buying and owning” Gaza as he headed to New Orleans on Air Force One to watch the Super Bowl. “We’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back,” Trump stated. However, he offered no explanation as to how the U.S. would purchase Gaza or from whom.
He also suggested that people from around the world could potentially settle in Gaza. “We’re going to make sure they live beautifully and in harmony and peace, and that they’re not murdered,” he added. Trump expressed confidence that Egypt and Jordan would eventually agree to help, despite their previous rejections of offers to take in refugees from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu praised Trump’s vision during a cabinet meeting, calling it a better alternative for Israel compared to the idea of Palestinian Authority control in Gaza. “President Trump came with a completely different vision, much better for the State of Israel, a revolutionary and creative vision, which we are discussing. He is very determined to carry it out,” Netanyahu said.
In stark contrast, Palestinian officials quickly rejected Trump’s proposal. The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry declared, “The rights of our people and our land are not for sale, exchange, or bargaining.” Hamas also denounced Trump’s remarks, calling them “absurd” and accusing the U.S. president of profound ignorance regarding Palestine and the region.
The United Nations Human Rights Office warned that any forced transfer or deportation of people from occupied territories, such as Gaza, is strictly prohibited under international law. Palestinians have expressed fears of a repeat of the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands were forcibly displaced during the creation of Israel, many of whom ended up in Gaza.
Although Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it retained control over its borders, airspace, and coastline, maintaining effective control over the movement of people and goods. The United Nations still considers Gaza to be under Israeli occupation due to this level of control.
International leaders also voiced strong opposition. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Trump’s plan as a “scandal,” while emphasizing the violation of international law in forcibly relocating a population. Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia joined the chorus of criticism, especially after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu suggested that Palestinians could be relocated to Saudi Arabia or other neighboring states. This comment was widely denounced by Arab nations as a violation of sovereignty and international law.
Trump’s proposal continues to spark fierce debates, with critics warning that it represents a dangerous and unrealistic attempt to reshape the region’s political landscape at the expense of the Palestinian people’s rights and history.
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