President Donald Trump stated that he wants the United States to “take” control of Gaza and transform it into a “freedom zone” on Thursday, 15 May, as the ongoing Israeli offensive military campaign continues in the Palestinian territory, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good, make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone,” the U.S. president said while speaking in Qatar. “I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone.”
Trump made these remarks during his visit to Qatar, where he attended a state dinner in Doha and signed multi-billion-dollar financial and arms agreements with the Emir of Qatar, including a record-breaking order of Boeing jets.
This makes Trump the first US president to make an official state visit to Qatar.
This visit is part of the president’s four-day tour of the Middle East, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The trip is expected to focus primarily on securing business deals and attracting new investments from the oil-rich region.
While in Saudi Arabia, Trump announced that the United States would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria as of Tuesday, 13 May, a decision welcomed by Saudi Arabia but met with criticism from Israel. He described the move as a step toward giving the war-torn country “a chance at peace.”
Trump first unveiled his proposal to “take over” and “own” Gaza, aiming to transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, during a February meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The plan has sparked widespread condemnation, particularly across the Arab world, as it implies the forced displacement of over two million Palestinian residents to neighboring countries, mainly Egypt and Jordan.
Both Egypt and Jordan have firmly rejected the proposal, while numerous human rights organizations have warned that such an action would constitute “ethnic cleansing.”
At the Extraordinary Arab Summit held in Cairo in March 2025, Egypt put forward an alternative plan for Gaza. During the summit, Arab nations united in rejecting any efforts to undermine the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace the Palestinian people.
The proposed plan, valued at USD 53 billion (EGP 2.53 trillion) and backed by Arab leaders, aims to ensure that the approximately 2 million Palestinians in Gaza can remain in the territory.
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