Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri swiftly dismissed President Trump’s proposal for the US to take control of the war-torn Gaza Strip, describing it as “ridiculous” and “absurd.”
President Donald Trump had earlier proposed that the US take control of the war-torn Gaza Strip, resettle its Palestinian population elsewhere, and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The announcement, delivered during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, represents a significant departure from longstanding US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has been met with widespread regional criticism.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and do a job with it too… We’ll develop it, create thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something the entire Middle East can be proud of,” Trump said on Tuesday, presenting the plan with minimal specifics but evoking his background in real estate development.
Zuhri speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, warned, “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.”
The plan also includes a controversial proposal for the permanent resettlement of Gaza’s more than two million Palestinians to neighbouring countries. Trump labelled Gaza a “demolition site” despite an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, firmly rejected any displacement of Palestinians, with the kingdom’s foreign ministry reiterating its commitment to a Palestinian state. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman affirmed this stance “in a clear and explicit manner” that leaves no room for alternative interpretations.
Riyadh further refuted Trump’s claims that Saudi Arabia was not demanding a Palestinian homeland, reiterating that normalisation of ties with Israel remains contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state. This position, emphasised amid the US’s ongoing efforts to secure Saudi-Israeli normalisation, underscores the challenges facing such diplomatic initiatives.
For Israel, establishing ties with Saudi Arabia would be a significant victory, given the kingdom’s influence in the Middle East and beyond. However, Trump’s dramatic proposal risks fuelling instability in a region already deeply divided over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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