U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stirred international controversy with renewed calls for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip and transform it into what he described as a “freedom zone.”
Speaking on Thursday at a business roundtable in Qatar, Trump painted a bleak picture of the Palestinian territory, arguing there was “nothing left to save” and suggesting American redevelopment would bring prosperity to the war-ravaged enclave.
“I’ve seen aerial shots—there’s practically no building standing,” Trump said, referencing the destruction caused by Israel’s military offensive that has killed nearly 53,000 Palestinians and displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. “It’s not like you’re trying to save something. People are living under rubble. That’s not acceptable.”
Trump first floated the idea in February, proposing that Gaza be turned into the “Riviera of the Middle East” under U.S. oversight—a vision he repeated in Qatar. “I want to see Gaza be a freedom zone. And if it’s necessary, I’d be proud to have the United States take it, make it a freedom zone, and let some good things happen,” he added.
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The proposal has drawn sharp criticism across the globe. Palestinian leaders and humanitarian organizations have condemned the idea as a form of ethnic cleansing, evoking painful memories of the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled or fled during the formation of Israel. “We will not leave Gaza,” many Palestinians have declared, even as they shelter in the ruins of their homes.
Trump’s statements were particularly controversial given the setting—Qatar, a Gulf nation that has hosted Hamas’ political leadership in Doha for years and has served as a mediator in multiple regional conflicts.
Critics argue that direct U.S. control of Gaza would mark a drastic escalation of American involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, potentially making it the country’s largest Middle East intervention since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
It would also risk inflaming tensions with regional powers and the broader international community, which has largely supported Palestinian self-determination.
Israel launched its military assault on Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which left around 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli sources.
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Since then, Israel has expanded its offensive operations, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently endorsing broader plans that could include a full seizure of the Gaza Strip and the control of humanitarian aid.
Netanyahu has called Trump’s proposal “a bold vision” and revealed that discussions have already taken place about which nations might be willing to accept displaced Palestinians—another point that has sparked international concern.
As violence continues to escalate—with at least 70 more Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday alone—Trump’s latest remarks are likely to deepen the divide between the U.S. and those advocating for a peaceful, sovereign solution for the Palestinian people.
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