Trump says US will take over Gaza and turn it into ‘Riviera of the Middle East’: live updates – UK Times

Donald Trump has been accused of suggesting an “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinian people as American allies around the world began to react to the US president’s shock comments about the possible “takeover” of the Palestinian enclave amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Mr Trump’s comments came in a meeting with Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu – the first in-person visit by a foreign leader since his return to office. Mr Trump said he wants the United States to “take over” and redevelop the Gaza Strip which is now a “demolition site” that no-one would want to live in.

“We’re going to take over that piece, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs and it’ll be something the entire Middle East can be very proud of,” he said.

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As reactions continue to pour in on Donald Trump’s Gaza comments, Democratic senator Chris Murphy lashed out at the president, calling his suggestion a “bad, sick joke”.

“He’s totally lost it. A U.S. invasion of Gaza would lead to the slaughter of thousands of US troops and decades of war in the Middle East. It’s like a bad, sick joke,” he said on X.

Democratic representative Jake Auchincloss called the proposal “reckless and unreasonable” in an interview with NewsNation and warned that it could jeopardise the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“We have to look at Trump’s motives,” he said. “As always, when Trump proposes a policy item, there is a nepotistic, self-serving connection.”Referring to Mr Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, he added, “They want to turn this into resorts.”

Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has condemned Donald Trump for his comments on “taking over” Gaza, accusing him of ethnic cleansing of the people.

“This president is openly calling for ethnic cleansing while sitting next to a genocidal war criminal,” she said on X.

“He’s perfectly fine cutting off working Americans from federal funds while the funding to the Israeli government continues flowing.”

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has doubled down on his support of the two-state solution in Gaza following Donald Trump’s shock comments of a possible “takeover” and “levelling” of the Palestinian enclave amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Mr Albanese refused to comment on Mr Trump’s remarks on Tuesday in a meeting alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he said he saw the United States taking “a long-term ownership position” that would bring “great stability to the Middle East” region.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Albanese said he doesn’t do “running commentary” when asked about the US president’s comments.

“[What] I would say is that Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, and it was 10 years ago, and it was under the Howard government,” Mr Albanese said.

He added that the government supports a two-state solution in Gaza which envisages Israeli and Palestinian states alongside each other.

“What we have said, though, clearly, we’ve supported a ceasefire. We’ve supported hostages being released. And we’ve supported aid getting into Gaza,” he said.

Egypt, Jordan and other US allies in the Middle East have cautioned Donald Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Mideast stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the U.S. and allies for a two-state solution.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a sharply worded reaction to Trump, noting their long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position”. Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the U.S. over a deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for a security pact and other terms.

“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it,” the Saudi statement said.Still, Trump insists the Palestinians “have no alternative” but to leave the “big pile of rubble” that is Gaza.

He spoke out as his top aides stressed that a three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as laid out in a temporary truce agreement, is not viable.

Last week, both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordanian King Abdullah II dismissed Trump’s calls to resettle Gazans.

Katie Hawkinson reports from Washington, D.C.