Trump says there is ‘no rush’ on his broadly shocking Gaza ‘takeover’ plan

CAIRO – 7 February 2025: US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that there is “no rush” to implement his plan for the US to “take over” Gaza and “own” it long-term, a proposal that has drawn international condemnation.

“We're in no rush on it,” Trump reportedly told journalists at the White House.

Last week, Trump shocked the world with his proposal to “take over” Gaza and relocate Palestinians, raising serious concerns about the prospects for long-term peace in the enclave and the entire region.

His proposal has sparked widespread condemnation from Arab and European nations, as well as global powers like Russia and China, and US Democratic lawmakers.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip … and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site,” Trump claimed, asserting that his country will turn Gaza into a development project that could become “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too." –President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/aCqLl9Gwwn

— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 5, 2025

He reiterated this proposal on Thursday, stating that the “Gaza Strip would be handed over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of the fighting.”

If implemented, Trump’s plan seems to undermine hopes for a long-awaited and globally advocated two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians live peacefully in separate states.

The Arab League, which includes all 22 Arab countries, warned that Trump’s proposal is “a recipe for instability.”

The league stated that this plan does not contribute to achieving the two-state solution, which remains the only viable path to securing peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as for the broader region.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for European Union foreign policy responded to Trump’s plan, stating that Gaza “is an integral part of a future Palestinian state.”

Egypt has warned of the repercussions following statements by several members of the Israeli government regarding the commencement of a plan to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land.#Egypt #Palestine #MiddleEast #Israel #GAZA | #تحيا_مصر #مصر #فلسطين #إسرائيل… pic.twitter.com/3O4KayL9Nr

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) February 7, 2025

Trump’s statement comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, which took effect on 19 January after over 15 months of Israeli war that has killed over 47,000 people and forced most of the population to leave their homes.