Trump’s Gaza Takeover Proposal Sparks Global Condemnation as Ceasefire Hangs in Balance
U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to "take over" the Gaza Strip, announced during a February 4, 2025, press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders, international allies, and human rights groups. Trump outlined plans to relocate Gaza’s 2.1 million Palestinians, rebuild the territory into a "Riviera of the Middle East," and establish a U.S.-controlled economic hub—a move critics call a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability.
The proposal comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has paused 15 months of warfare that killed over 61,700 Palestinians and displaced 1.9 million, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
“Ethnic Cleansing” or “Bold Vision”? Trump’s Plan Divides Allies
Trump’s remarks, made alongside Netanyahu at the White House, included calls to “level” Gaza’s destroyed infrastructure, resettle Palestinians in Egypt or Jordan, and deploy U.S. troops to oversee reconstruction. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we’ll do a job with it. We’ll own it,” Trump declared, framing the plan as a solution to decades of conflict.
Netanyahu cautiously endorsed the idea, calling it “worth pursuing” to “change history.”Hamas swiftly rejected the proposal, with senior official Sami Abu Zuhri labeling it “a recipe for chaos” and “ethnic cleansing.” Abed Ayoub of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee condemned the plan as “terrifying” and “insane,” while France’s Foreign Ministry warned it flouts international law and destabilizes neighboring states.
Ceasefire at Risk: Aid Groups Warn of Escalating Humanitarian Crisis
The backlash complicates ongoing ceasefire negotiations, which began on January 19, 2025, after U.S.-led mediation. The truce has allowed limited aid into Gaza, where 96% of the population faces acute food insecurity and 69% of buildings are destroyed. The UN reports that 545,355 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza, only to find homes reduced to rubble.
“Families are sleeping in the open during winter storms,” said the Gaza Government Media Office, urging urgent tent shipments. The Palestine Red Crescent Society has distributed 1.6 million relief items since the war began, but aid workers warn reconstruction could take 15 years.
Global Reactions: From Saudi Arabia to the UN
Saudi Arabia and Jordan issued rare public rebukes, with Riyadh reaffirming its “non-negotiable” support for Palestinian statehood. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed Palestinians “must be allowed to rebuild” in Gaza, while Germany’s Annalena Baerbock warned forced displacement would fuel “new hatred”.UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized the plan’s “systematic dehumanization” of Palestinians, and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan cited it as evidence in ongoing war crimes investigations against Netanyahu. Analysts like Azriel Bermant of the Institute of International Relations Prague called the proposal “unworkable” and predicted a U.S. retreat amid opposition.
Political Fallout: Trump’s Base Splinters Over Gaza Stance
The plan has divided Trump’s domestic allies. While Senator Lindsey Graham urged an “open mind,” Democratic Senator Chris Coons dismissed it as “insane.” Arab American leaders, pivotal to Trump’s 2024 Michigan victory, expressed outrage. “We’re a swing vote, not a captive one,” said Bishara Bahbah of Arab Americans for Peace.
Netanyahu faces pressure from his far-right coalition, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praising Trump’s alignment with Israeli expansionists. However, 61% of U.S. Muslim voters now oppose Trump, per the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.
Historical Context: From Blockade to Biden-Trump Shifts
Gaza has endured a 17-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade, worsened by Hamas’s 2007 takeover and three major wars since 2008. Trump’s proposal mirrors a 2024 Israeli intelligence document advocating mass Palestinian relocation—a plan Netanyahu previously denied.
President Joe Biden had conditioned military aid on minimizing civilian harm, but Trump reversed this policy, resuming shipments of 2,000-pound bombs and backing Netanyahu’s military strategy.
Legal Challenges: “A 21st-Century Colonial Project”
Legal experts universally panned the proposal. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese stated it breaches the Fourth Geneva Convention’s prohibition on forced displacement. The Arab League accused Trump of “imperialist mentality.” At the same time, Human Rights Watch warned it could constitute ethnic cleansing.“There’s no legal basis for the U.S. to annex Gaza,” said international law professor Noura Erakat. “This is 21st-century colonialism”.
What’s Next? Ceasefire Deadlines and Midterm Elections
The ceasefire’s first phase, set to expire on March 1, requires Hamas to release 33 hostages and Israel to free 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas insists on complete Israeli withdrawal before further talks, a condition Netanyahu’s coalition rejects. Domestically, Trump’s stance risks alienating suburban voters and Arab Americans ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, Saudi-Israeli normalization talks—once a Trump priority—are stalled over Gaza.