Amid a ceasefire in the year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, Pres. Donald Trump has proposed that the U.S. take over Gaza and build new communities and settlements within the territory. At a press conference held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said, “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out.”
The reaction to the proposal was swift. Leaders from the university’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) spoke out in response to the proposal. Youssef Ossama, the MSA President and a business major, said, “It’s very ignorant and very self-entitled of him to say something like that. He’s a self-entitled man, he thinks everything he wants should be his and I don’t think Palestinians deserve that.” Ossama said he thought the U.S. is failing with foreign policy because no president had ever suggested taking over Gaza – along with Greenland and the Panama Canal. MSA executive assistant Zikra Vora said, “It’s very upsetting to hear someone from America saying they will take over a country that’s obviously not theirs, they have no right over it.”
Since Jan. 19, a ceasefire has been intact within the Israel-Hamas conflict. The fighting began on Oct. 7, 2023, after the terrorist organization Hamas launched an attack on Israel that killed over a thousand people and took hundreds hostage, including some Americans. The Israeli government fired back shortly after and pledged to eliminate Hamas from the territory of Gaza which they occupy. Over 46,000 people have been killed within Gaza since the start of the conflict. The question over who should control Gaza following the conflict has been raised multiple times.
Former Pres. Joe Biden and former Sec. of State Antony Blinken proposed that the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) that currently controls the West Bank should take control of Gaza, which they previously did before Hamas took over. Blinken spoke about this at a summit in Japan in 2023 and said “It must include Palestinian-led governance and Gaza unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.” Other proposals include Israel annexing the territory, United Nations taking control, or Hamas retaining control.
The proposal from Trump has been met with opposition in the U.S. and in the international community. A Data For Progress poll conducted among American voters shows that 64% oppose the idea of the nation taking over Gaza. A letter signed by 145 House Democrats was sent to Trump in opposition to the proposal. All five members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut signed the letter. Multiple leaders from nations allied with the U.S. from the Middle East and other parts of the world have expressed opposition to the proposal. In a post on X, King Abdullah II of Jordan said, “I reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is the unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”
