Mar-a-Lago in the Levant: Trump's plan to 'take over' Gaza - the key takeaways

Trump announced plans to 'take over' the Gaza Strip, ethnically cleanse its Palestinian inhabitants, and build a 'Riviera of the Middle East'.
4 min read
05 February, 2025
Last Update
05 February, 2025 12:53 PM
Trump announced that the US would 'take over' Gaza and lead its reconstruction after expelling the 2.2 million Palestinians who live in the territory [Getty]

In a stunning and controversial press conference following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump announced a radical plan to "take over" Gaza, ethnically cleanse its 2.2 million Palestinian residents and build a luxury coastal hub dubbed the "Riviera of the Middle East" on its ruins.

His comments have already sparked global outrage, with critics condemning his proposal as a "humanitarian ethnic cleansing" and warning of its illegality and destabilising impact.

Here are the key takeaways from the press conference:

An American 'take over'

Trump announced that the US would "take over" Gaza and lead its reconstruction after expelling the 2.2 million Palestinians who live in the territory.

The president said he saw a "long-term ownership" of Gaza, although he didn't reveal how the occupied Palestinian territory would be governed or how he expects to establish control on the ground – though he said he is open to deploying the US military "if it's necessary".

"We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site," he said.

The US will "level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings … create economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area", he added.

He still wants Egypt and Jordan to take them

When asked by a reporter where he expected displaced Palestinians to go, Trump doubled down on his proposal to send them to Egypt and Jordan, despite both countries firmly rejecting the idea.

"I have a feeling that, despite them saying no, the king in Jordan and the general in Egypt will open their hearts and give us the kind of land that we need to get this done," he said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II have both emphatically rebuffed the Trump administration's attempts to convince them to take in Palestinians from Gaza.

In a strongly-worded public statement last week, Sisi said that the displacement of Palestinians "can never be tolerated because of its impact on Egyptian national security".

'Humanitarian ethnic cleansing'

Throughout the press conference, Trump framed the mass expulsion of Palestinians as an act of benevolence and a humanitarian solution to rescue them from the "hell hole" of Gaza.

"We're going to give people a chance to live in a beautiful community that's safe and secure," Trump said.

"The people who have been absolutely destroyed that live there now can live in peace in a much better situation."

Mar-a-Lago in the Levant

Removing the Palestinians will enable the US to build a "Riviera of the Middle East" in Gaza, Trump said, describing the reconstruction process in real-estate terms.

"We'll make sure it’s done world-class. It'll be wonderful for the people," the former real estate magnate said.

This isn't the first time Trump and members of his inner circle have referred to Gaza in terms of its real estate potential.

Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and advisor during his first term in office, has opined that Gaza's "waterfront property" could be could be "very valuable".

Ceasefire threat

Trump cast doubt on whether the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will continue, despite touting his administration's "masterful job" at negotiating a six-week pause in the fighting.

"I can't tell you if the ceasefire will hold," he said, before issuing a threat to Hamas in the event it doesn't release all the remaining Israeli prisoners.

"We'd like to get all of the hostages and if we don't it will just make us somewhat more violent," he said.

"They would have broken their word."

Will Trump back the annexation of the occupied West Bank?

The Trump administration will in the coming weeks announce whether it will support Israel's plans to annex the occupied West Bank, the US president said.

"We're discussing that with many [Israeli] representatives… People do like the idea but we haven't taken a position on it yet, but we will be making an announcement probably on that specific topic over the next four weeks," he said in response to a question.