Gaza has long been a powder keg. It exploded after Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and began killing and abducting people, sparking a crushing Israeli military operation that’s only recently stopped under a fragile ceasefire.

Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take “ownership” over Gaza and displace Palestinians added to uncertainty over the fate of the enclave and its residents.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, proposing a major shift in Middle East policy, called for the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate roughly two million Palestinians to neighboring Arab countries. His goal, he said, is to turn the war-ravaged enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in on President Trump’s proposal to take over the Gaza Strip, calling to “Make Gaza Beautiful Again.” “Gaza MUST BE FREE from Hamas,” Rubio posted to X. “As

The politically explosive proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza and remake it as a U.S. territory included few details. Experts say it ignores the political dynamics of the region and would probably violate international law.

President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to "take over" Gaza, permanently displacing Palestinians who live there and creating the "Riviera of the Middle East," has upset Arab nations and Western allies and would overturn decades of American policy in the region.