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Middle East: Trump's Gaza takeover remarks met with backlash

Published February 5, 2025last updated February 6, 2025

Germany, Saudi Arabia and China are among those rejecting President Donald Trump's suggestion that the US will "take over" Gaza. US top diplomat Marco Rubio has stood behind the president's remarks.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q2ci
Two men bake bread in the ruins of a building in Gaza
Many Gazans are struggling to survive after Israel's war against Hamas laid waste to most of the Palestinian territoryImage: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo/picture alliance
Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

  • Trump aides defend his Gaza takeover proposal
  • Trump says US 'will take over the Gaza Strip'
  • US House speaker Mike Johnson describes Trump idea as 'bold' 
  • Abbas and Palestinian Authority emphasize Gaza's vital role in statehood
  • German FM says Gaza 'belongs to Palestinians' 

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Skip next section Trump's proposal on Gaza 'flagrant' violation of international law, says Amnesty International
February 6, 2025

Trump's proposal on Gaza 'flagrant' violation of international law, says Amnesty International

Human rights organization, Amnesty International, said Donald Trump's proposal to move Palestinians from Gaza was "inflammatory, outrageous and shameful" and amounted to a "flagrant violation of international law."

"Any plan to forcibly deport Palestinians outside the occupied territory against their will is a war crime," Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard told Reuters news agency.

Trump raised the possibility of bringing Gaza under US "ownership" at a press conference earlier in the week, shocking even senior members of his administration, according to the New York Times.

The plan sparked widespread international condemnation. 

https://p.dw.com/p/4q5av
Skip next section Conflicting US statements on Gaza
February 5, 2025

Conflicting US statements on Gaza

Louis Oelofse with AP, AFP, Reuters
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "was indeed" aware of Trump's plan for the US to take "ownership" of Gaza before he publicly announced itImage: Evan Vucci/AP Photo/picture alliance

The White House and the US Secretary of State on Wednesday appeared to try to alter the narrative after President Donald Trump said the United States would "take over" the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its residents.

During a media briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump "has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza."

This seems to contradict what Trump said during his media briefing on Tuesday after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what's happening in Gaza," Trump said at the time.

Trump also said, "It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have... lived there and died there and lived a miserable existence there."

His remarks drew global condemnation.

Leavitt told reporters Trump did not promise to send US troops to Gaza. He wanted to be involved in the rebuilding of Gaza "to ensure stability in the region," she said. "That does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza," she added.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking while visiting Guatemala City, described Trump's proposal to redevelop Gaza into "the riviera of the Middle East" as a "generous" offer. "It was not meant as a hostile move," Rubio said.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q5DY
Skip next section EU says Gaza 'integral part' of future Palestinian state
February 5, 2025

EU says Gaza 'integral part' of future Palestinian state

Matt Ford with AFP, Reuters

The European Union said on Wednesday that it acknowledged US President Donald Trump's comments on wanting to "take over" of Gaza but insisted its commitment to a two-state solution.

"Gaza is an integral part of a future Palestinian state," said a spokesman in Brussels, adding the bloc's voice to the almost global condemnation of Trump's remarks.

"We took note of President Trump's comments. The EU remains firmly committed to a two-state solution, which we believe is the only path to long-term peace for both Israelis and Palestinians."

https://p.dw.com/p/4q5Bi
Skip next section German president rejects Trump's plan to resettle Gaza population
February 5, 2025

German president rejects Trump's plan to resettle Gaza population

Louis Oelofse with dpa

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal to resettle Palestinians from Gaza. 

"A solution that disregards or even violates international law is unacceptable," he said. 

He doubted Arab states would accept Palestinians forced from their homes. 

Steinmeier made these comments in Ankara before meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also called Trump's plan "unacceptable."

Steinmeier had earlier visited Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where he expressed skepticism about Trump's plan to take over Gaza.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q54A
Skip next section US House speaker hails Trump's remarks
February 5, 2025

US House speaker hails Trump's remarks

Zac Crellin with AP, Reuters

US House speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has welcomed President Donald Trump's suggestion that the US "will take over Gaza," even though Palestinians oppose the idea.

"The initial announcement yesterday I think was greeted by surprise by many, but cheered, by I think, people all around the world," Johnson claimed at a press conference, despite worldwide condemnation.

"Why? Because that area is so dangerous, and he's taking bold, decisive action to try to secure the peace of that region." 

Johnson said he was waiting to hear specific details about Trump's plan, and added that he would discuss it with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Thursday.

Johnson framed the proposal as a way to minimize threats to Israel. Elsewhere, it has been condemned by Palestinians, the UN Human Rights Office and international legal experts.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q52h
Skip next section Gaza residents reject Trump's relocation plan
February 5, 2025

Gaza residents reject Trump's relocation plan

Tania Krämer | Hazem Balousha

US President Donald Trump's statement on the future of Gaza has added to an already complicated reality in the region. "They (statements) are extremely dangerous. It is impossible for us to leave our land. The people of Gaza and I will never leave Gaza," Ahmad Shehab told DW on the phone from Jabalia in northern Gaza.

Some expressed shock in conversations and resented the idea that, once again, others were determining the future of Gaza without the Palestinians having a say. 

Overnight, Trump told visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would "take over" the Gaza Strip and that he wanted to "relocate" all Palestinians to third countries. He did not explain how and under what authority the United States would be able to take control of Gaza.

Gaza residents say they will 'hold onto their land'

Last Monday, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians walked back to northern Gaza when Israel allowed them to return as part of the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Many had no homes to return to and pitched their tents on the rubble of their former homes.

"Some people want to leave due to the hardships of life in Gaza and the current reality," Shehab, 36, told DW. "Hundreds of thousands have already left for other countries, but they remain deeply connected to Palestine. When asked where they are from, they say, "I am from Palestine'."

Abeer Ghussain, from Nusseirat in central Gaza, said that as a young person she would consider leaving to have a normal life. "I am tired of the wars we have to endure every five years and I want to live in peace for once," she wrote via WhatsApp. But she also firmly rejected the idea of uprooting Palestinians from their homeland for good. "I think it's just media gossip. Even if it were true, the Palestinian people would not leave their land. They did not leave despite the barrage of explosives raining down on them."

In Jabalia, which was vastly destroyed during the war, Ahmed Shehab said that while he had the opportunity to study abroad for six years, he came back because he felt a deep sense of belonging to his homeland. "I want to live in peace and safety with my family, but I do not want to be homeless for the rest of my life. I want a country to belong to."

https://p.dw.com/p/4q4aR
Skip next section Palestinian Authority and Abbas stress Gaza 'integral' to Palestinian statehood
February 5, 2025

Palestinian Authority and Abbas stress Gaza 'integral' to Palestinian statehood

Rana Taha

The Palestinian Authority and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas both rejected US President Donald Trump's comments to permanently "resettle" all Palestinians out of Gaza , stressing that Gaza was "an integral part of the land of the state of Palestine, along with the West Bank and east Jerusalem, occupied since 1967."

In a statement on social media platform X, the Palestinian Authority said: "We will not allow the rights of our people, for which we have struggled for decades and made great sacrifices to achieve, to be infringed upon."

Abbas thanked the Arab countries that rejected Trump's proposal as well, naming Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

"The Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and is the independent Palestinian decision-maker, and no one has the right to make decisions regarding the future of the Palestinian people on its behalf," the statement read.

The Palestinian president urged the United Nations and its Security Council to "protect the Palestinian people and preserve their inalienable rights, their right to self-determination and [to] remain on their homeland, and end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital."

https://p.dw.com/p/4q4ML
Skip next section International law prohibits forcible deportations: UNHR
February 5, 2025

International law prohibits forcible deportations: UNHR

Kate Hairsine with Reuters

Any transfer by force of people from occupied territory breaches international law, the UN Human Rights Office said on Wednesday.

"Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited," UNHR told Reuters news agency.

"It is crucial that we...end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law," UNHR added.

The right to protection against forced deportation is enshrined in several legal frameworks.

These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Geneva Conventions (Article 49).

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3pT
Skip next section Trump's plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza 'forced displacement,' Cambridge professor says
February 5, 2025

Trump's plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza 'forced displacement,' Cambridge professor says

Donald Trump's plan to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza would be "forced displacement" under international law, said Marc Weller, head of International Law and International Constitutional Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Speaking to DW on Wednesday, Weller said the Gaza population is "entitled to self-determination and ultimately to statehood."

He stressed that relocating them would violate the laws of war, adding that "relocation is a kind word for what would be the forced displacement of the Gazans and the Palestinians," adding that some suggest it might even amount to "ethnic cleansing."

"At the moment, Israel is an occupying power in that territory, and under the laws of armed conflict, is absolutely prohibited to remove an entire population permanently from the territory it has historically inhabited."

Weller said Trump had no legal authority to carry out such plans, and that he was merely speaking as "a property tycoon who can take over some derelict wasteland and turn it into a Florida-like oasis."

"But here, of course, it's not an empty territory. This is territory which belongs to Palestine, either as a state, if you think it is a state already, or as a self-determination entity, which means an entity that is entitled to form a state on all the Palestinian territories, which includes Gaza," Weller said.

The academic emphasized that no one has the right to give away the Palestinian territory, including Israel and Trump, who "has absolutely no claim to saying, as he said, we own it or we will own it or we will take it over."

Weller also expected Trump's proposal to sour relations with regional ally Saudi Arabia, which was quick to reject the suggestion in a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday. Trump has been keen on seeing through a normalization deal that would ensure Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel as a state.

"If he seriously pursues this idea, it would be very difficult [for] Arab states not to oppose this quite strongly," Weller anticipated. "I think they would face protests and possibly risks to their own stability if they were to somehow come close to this idea."

Does the US have any legal authority to 'take over' Gaza?

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3nX
Skip next section What does Gaza look like after the ceasefire?
February 5, 2025

What does Gaza look like after the ceasefire?

These pictures help explain the enormous task of rebuilding Gaza.

Two men cook in a destroyed building with the cooking fire as their only light, in Gaza City.
Palestinians sell falafel at a destroyed building during a power cut in Gaza City on February 3, 2025Image: Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS

The enclave lacks reliable power, safe drinking water and even walls to house a business in.

A man sits on an armchair placed on a street full of rubble and lines with semi-destroyed buildings.
It's estimated that 90% of housing in Rafah, where this picture was taken, is destroyedImage: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS

The city of Rafah in southern Gaza has hardly any houses standing leaving most families here homeless.

Elsewhere in Gaza, More than two-thirds of structures in Gaza have been destroyed, but some regions are harder hit than others.

Palestinians walk down a dirt road past giant mounds of rubble where buildings once stood.
Gaza has been transformed into a rubble-strewn landscapeImage: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS

The rubble not only shows the extent of Gaza's destruction. It also houses dangers of unexploded bombs and other munition, dead bodies and asbestos.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3iX
Skip next section Israeli ultranationalists excited about Trump's Gaza plan, analyst tells DW
February 5, 2025

Israeli ultranationalists excited about Trump's Gaza plan, analyst tells DW

Rana Taha with AFP, Reuters

Trump's suggestion to take over Gaza and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East" is exciting several members of Netanyahu's far right government, an analyst told DW on Wednesday.

Shalom Lipner, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, described Trump's statements as a "surreal performance" and the plan he presented as "very ambitious" but questionable.

However, Lipner suggested that the plan piqued the interest of the Israeli public.

"I think the president did tap into a degree of public sentiment when he talked about the fact that everything has been tried historically, and that over and over again, we're back in the same morass, shall we say, in Gaza," the expert said.

Some prominent Israeli voices have cheered the plan.  

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's far-right finance minister in charge of settlement approval, welcomed the plan.

"The plan presented yesterday [Tuesday] by President Trump is the real answer to October 7," Smotrich said on Telegram, referring to the Hamas-led 2023 attacks on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. "We will now work to definitively bury... the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state."

Former public security minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir also hailed the plan as the "only solution."

"Encouraging" Palestinians in Gaza to migrate from the enclave was the only correct strategy after the war between Israel and Hamas, Ben Gvir argued, urging Netanyahu to "immediately" adopt Trump's proposal.

Centrist politician Benny Gantz, who is seen as more moderate than Netanyahu, said Trump's suggestion showed "creative, original and intriguing thinking," but argued that it should be examined in tandem with other war goals, such as "prioritizing the return of all hostages."

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3Ya
Skip next section Gaza 'belongs to Palestinians,' Germany says after Trump comments
February 5, 2025

Gaza 'belongs to Palestinians,' Germany says after Trump comments

Kate Hairsine with dpa, Reuters

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Wednesday that the Gaza Strip belongs to the Palestinians. 

The expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza would be unacceptable and contrary to international law, she said in a statement. 

The statement didn't mention US President Donald Trump, who a day earlier, suggested that the US could take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and develop it economically after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere.

"There must be no solution over the heads of the Palestinians," said Baerbock.

She added that Europe was ready to play its part with the US and regional partners to rebuild Gaza.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3WF
Skip next section Palestinians must be able to return home: UK minister
February 5, 2025

Palestinians must be able to return home: UK minister

British Environment Secretary Steve Reed has distanced himself from Trump's Gaza takeover plans. 

The UK's position is that Palestinians "must be able to return to their homes and rebuild their lives," Reed told Sky News on Wednesday.

"For those people, the last ...months have been a living nightmare, and it's important they're able to go home after this to start to rebuild.

He added that a two-state solution was the only solution for long-term peace. 

The two-state solution refers to a plan to create a Palestinian state separate from the state of Israel.

You can read more about what the recognition of a Palestinian state would mean in this DW analysis.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3NF
Skip next section Russia adds voice to 'right' of Palestinians to live on their land in Gaza
February 5, 2025

Russia adds voice to 'right' of Palestinians to live on their land in Gaza

Russia believes a settlement in the Middle East is only possible on the basis of a two-state solution, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

The two-state solution refers to a plan to create a Palestinian state separate from the state of Israel.

His statement was in reaction to US President Donald Trump saying the US could take over Gaza, redevelop it and resettle Palestinians elsewhere.

Peskov's comment echoes that made by Russia last Friday — again in response to remarks made by Trump about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan.

"The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the territory of the future Palestinian state, along with East Jerusalem and the West Bank of the Jordan River," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said last Friday.

"The right of the people of Palestine includes the right of the people of Gaza to live on their land, it is indisputable."

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3Ea
Skip next section Egypt urges for Gaza reconstruction 'without Palestinians leaving'
February 5, 2025

Egypt urges for Gaza reconstruction 'without Palestinians leaving'

Rana Taha

Cairo has stressed the need to advance reconstruction projects in the devastated Gaza Strip "without Palestinians leaving Gaza, especially with their commitment to their land and refusal to leave it."

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa in Cairo, stressing Egypt's full support for the Palestinian Authority and its reform plans.

Abdelatty said the Palestinian Authority "must be politically and economically enabled to take over its duties in the Gaza Strip as part of the occupied Palestinian territories."

The Egyptian top diplomat also stressed Egypt's support for Palestinians' "legitimate and inalienable rights." 

Before suggesting that the US takes over Gaza, Trump had floated the idea that Palestinians in the strip should be transferred to Egypt and Jordan, before rebuilding the enclave, an idea that was rejected by Cairo and Amman.

https://p.dw.com/p/4q3P5
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