Washington, Feb 5 (VOA/GNA) — U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants the United States to take ownership of Gaza, moving beyond his earlier statements of forcing Palestinians in the war-torn enclave to relocate to neighboring Jordan and Egypt.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” he said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Tuesday evening.
In recent days hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the southern parts of Gaza have marched north toward their homes after Israel allowed people to return as part of the ceasefire for a hostage release deal with Hamas.
Trump said he wants to develop the area into what he calls “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
“Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent, in a really magnificent area,” he said.
Netanyahu said one of his war goals is to ensure that Hamas never poses a threat to Israel again. But Trump, Netanyahu said, is “taking it to a much higher level.”
“I think it’s something that could change history, and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” he added.
Trump did not share details on how he plans to exert control over the area ravaged by 15 months of war, but he did not rule out sending U.S. troops.
“If it’s necessary, we’ll do that. We’re going to take over that piece, and we’re going to develop it,” he said.
GNA/VOA