Watch Live: Trump says U.S. will “take over Gaza Strip” during news conference with Netanyahu

President Trump, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a joint information convention on the White Home, mentioned the U.S. would “take over the Gaza Strip” and “personal it,” selling the concept that the Palestinian individuals ought to dwell elsewhere. 

Mr. Trump mentioned the Palestinians in Gaza “mustn’t undergo a strategy of rebuilding” and mentioned they’d “lived a depressing existence there.” Earlier within the afternoon, throughout a gathering with Netanyahu within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump mentioned the Palestinians ought to “resettle completely” in “good houses” some place else. 

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we’ll do a job with it, too,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “We’ll personal it and be liable for dismantling the entire harmful unexploded bombs and different weapons on the positioning, stage the positioning and do away with the destroyed buildings —  stage it out. Create an financial improvement that may provide limitless numbers of jobs and housing for the individuals of the world. Do an actual job. Do one thing completely different.”

“Simply cannot return,” he continued. “If you happen to return, it is gonna find yourself the identical manner it has for 100 years.” 

On whether or not U.S. troops can be despatched to Gaza, the president mentioned, “So far as Gaza is worried, we’ll do what is critical. If it’s a necessity, we’ll try this.”

“We will take over that piece,” Mr. Trump added. “We will develop it, create hundreds and hundreds of jobs, and it will be one thing that your complete Center East will be very pleased with.”

The president was requested by a reporter what authority he has to take over a sovereign territory, and he replied that he is studied the matter carefully for months. 

“I do see a long-term possession place, and I see it bringing nice stability to that a part of the Center East, and possibly your complete Center East,” Mr. Trump mentioned. 

The president mentioned his resolution about taking on Gaza “was not a choice  made calmly,” and he claimed he is acquired reward from different leaders within the Center East, although he didn’t determine any by identify. Netanyahu mentioned Mr. Trump’s workforce is contemplating the choices. 

Leaders of a number of of probably the most highly effective Arab nations beforehand mentioned they strongly opposed any suggestion that residents of Gaza be resettled in different nations.

Previously, Mr. Trump has voiced assist for a “real looking two-state resolution.” Gaza, a 139-square-mile strip of land that shares borders with Israel and Egypt, has been fought over for years. Palestinians have been refugees for many years, since Israel gained management of it within the 1967 Six-Day Conflict with Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Requested who would finally dwell in Gaza as soon as it is rebuilt, Mr. Trump mentioned it needs to be a global place. 

“I envision world individuals residing there, the world’s individuals,” he mentioned, including that the residents needs to be “representatives from everywhere in the world, Palestinians, additionally.” He mentioned it might be “the Riviera of the Center East.”

Netanyahu is the primary international chief to go to Mr. Trump in his second time period.

Mr. Trump opened the information convention by reinforcing his heat relationship with Netanyahu, saying they’d solid a profitable partnership in his first time period. He claimed that the final 4 years — below former President Joe Biden — had not seen as many successes. 

He claimed “the grave harm across the globe that was achieved, together with within the Center East … the horrors of Oct. 7 would by no means have occurred if I have been president.”

Within the wake of the bloodbath of Israeli civilians in 2023, nevertheless, Netanyahu praised Biden “for his very important assist for Israel.”

Trump, Netanyahu meet in Oval Workplace earlier than information convention

Seated subsequent to Netanyahu within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump repeatedly mentioned he would not assume Palestinians wish to return to Gaza and mentioned that he thinks Jordan, Egypt and different nations would settle for Palestinians, despite the fact that they’ve mentioned they will not. 

“They aren’t gonna wish to return to Gaza,” Mr. Trump mentioned, including that Palestinians would solely “find yourself dying” there, and suggesting Palestinians ought to have a everlasting settlement elsewhere. 

“If we will get a good looking space to resettle individuals completely in good houses and the place they are often pleased and never be shot, not be killed, not be knifed to loss of life, like what’s occurring in Gaza,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “And proper now you’ve gotten in Gaza a really harmful state of affairs when it comes to explosives all over, when it comes to tunnels that no person is aware of who’s within the tunnel. The entire thing is a multitude.” 

The president mentioned different “wealthy” nations ought to pay for a brand new residence for Palestinians, though he didn’t develop on this suggestion.

Netanyahu largely allowed Mr. Trump to talk. One reporter requested the Israeli prime minister whether or not former President Joe Biden or Mr. Trump is extra liable for the hostage and ceasefire deal. 

“I feel President Trump added nice power and highly effective management to this effort,” Netanyahu replied. 

The ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered partly by the U.S., continues to carry to date. Twin citizen Keith Siegel was the primary American to be launched for the reason that implementation started final month, though different Individuals have been launched earlier than. 

On Sunday, Netanyahu mentioned he would talk about “victory over Hamas” with Mr. Trump, in addition to countering Iran and constructing on diplomatic relationships with Arab nations.

Mr. Trump advised reporters on Monday that he has “no ensures that the peace goes to carry.” 

The president’s assembly with Netanyahu being his first with a international chief alerts how the Trump White Home views the U.S.-Israel relationship.

“Trump goes to proceed his assist for our nice ally, Israel,” nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz mentioned on Fox Information Tuesday.

Waltz mentioned the U.S. and Israel have “extra to go” when it comes to returning Individuals held hostage. And the nationwide safety adviser mentioned the U.S. has to assume “realistically” about rebuilding Gaza. 

“I might push again on the characterization of cleansing out Gaza,” Waltz advised reporters Tuesday. “I feel President Trump is this from a humanitarian standpoint. You might have these individuals which can be sitting with actually hundreds of unexploded ordnance and piles of rubble. , in some unspecified time in the future now we have to look realistically. How do you rebuild Gaza? What does that appear to be? What is the timeline? I feel we, lots of people, have been very unrealistic timelines. We’re speaking 10, 15, years, not the 5 years. And so that’s what, that is what now we have to work by. That is a part of what we’ll work by with Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

Netanyahu final met with Mr. Trump in July at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Seaside, Florida, whereas Mr. Trump was nonetheless a presidential candidate.

Netanyahu congratulated former President Joe Biden on his win in 2020, one thing that Mr. Trump lengthy held towards him. However the two have labored to restore the connection within the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault on Israel.

One reporter famous their relationship has had its ups and downs. 

“I feel it is principally ups,” Mr. Trump mentioned Tuesday. 

Extra from CBS Information