Trump Doubles Down on Gaza ‘Freedom Zone’ Idea During Qatar Visit
President Donald Trump on Thursday repeated his proposal for the United States to take control of Gaza and transform it into what he called a “freedom zone.” The comments came during a business roundtable in Qatar, as Trump concluded a Middle East trip that did not include a visit to Israel.
“I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone,” President Trump said. “Let some good things happen, put people in homes where they can be safe, and Hamas is going to have to be dealt with.”
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The idea, previously floated by President Trump during a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, envisions US-led redevelopment of Gaza involving the relocation of its population. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said in January. “It’s literally a demolition site right now.”
Netanyahu praised that proposal, saying it aligned with Israel’s goal of eliminating future threats from Gaza. President Trump has also promoted a controversial AI-generated video depicting a rebuilt Gaza under US control, featuring luxury towers and a golden statue of himself.
Arab states have firmly rejected President Trump’s plans for Gaza, and Hamas has denounced them as a form of ethnic cleansing.
Trump’s remarks come as Israel prepares a large-scale ground operation and has ramped up bombing across Gaza. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports over 53,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began. Those numbers do not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but they do include many children.
