On Thursday, President Trump proposed that the United States might consider taking control of the Gaza Strip, envisioning it as a “free zone.” This marked a highlight of his more contentious foreign policy ideas during his trip to Qatar.
“I have a concept for Gaza that I believe is quite promising. Let’s create a free zone, allowing U.S. involvement to help facilitate this,” Trump mentioned while speaking at a business roundtable.
“I’d really like the U.S. to take charge, establish it as a free zone, and enable positive developments. We need to ensure people are safe at home, while Hamas will need to face the consequences,” he elaborated.
Qatar regularly hosts ceasefire discussions between Israel and Hamas in an effort to halt ongoing conflicts, though the negotiations have remained stalled as the bombardments continue.
Earlier this year, Trump initially suggested the idea of U.S. control over Gaza, which has been severely impacted by Israeli military actions. This proposal came in light of an October 2023 campaign against Hamas, following an event that resulted in over 1,000 Israeli casualties.
Trump has previously mentioned the possibility of rebuilding Gaza while relocating Palestinians in the area. He remains vague on how the U.S. would acquire the territory, though he had previously suggested taking it over once Israel concluded its conflict with Hamas.
The concept has drawn criticism, not only from the head of the Palestinian national authorities but also from U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia.
