Trump says US will 'take over' Gaza Strip, doesn't rule out troop deployment

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday as the first foreign leader to visit in Trump’s second term.

This first visit of a foreign leader during Trump’s second term comes amid lagging support for Netanyahu in Israel. The Israeli prime minister faces competing pressure from his right-wing coalition to end a temporary truce in Gaza and from war-weary Israelis who want the remaining hostages home and the 15-month conflict to end.

What they're saying:

In a joint news conference, Trump said he wants the U.S. to take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere.

"We will own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site," Trump said a start of a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump added the U.S. would level destroyed buildings and "create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area."

The president also said he envisioned people living in a redeveloped Gaza that he said could look like "the Riviera of the Middle East."

"This could be something that could be so valuable, this could be so magnificent," Trump said.

He said he envisioned "Palestinians, mostly" living there but also described his vision for Gaza as "an international, unbelievable place" where "the world’s people" live.

Saudia Arabia issued a statement on social media, writing, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that the position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister - may God protect him - has clearly and unambiguously affirmed this stance, leaving no room for interpretation under any circumstances." 

Trump won't rule out deploying US troops to support rebuilding Gaza

Trump also said he isn’t ruling out deploying U.S. troops to support reconstruction of Gaza. He envisions "long-term" U.S. ownership of a redevelopment of the territory.

"We’ll do what is necessary," Trump said about the possibility of deploying American troops to fill any security vacuum.

The comments came after Trump earlier suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be "permanently" resettled outside the war-torn territory.

"Well, a lot of plans change with time," he told reporters when asked if he was still committed to a plan like the one he laid out in 2020 that called for a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu also praised Trump's leadership in sealing the hostage and ceasefire deal, which went into effect the day before Trump took office. "I'll just tell you, I am happy they are here," Netanyahu said of Trump and his administration.

What we know:

The meeting was a chance for Netanyahu, under pressure at home, to remind the world of the support he has received from Trump over the years, and to defend Israel’s conduct of the war.

RELATED: Hamas releases 3 more hostages, including US citizen, as part of fragile ceasefire deal

Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid, and Netanyahu is likely to encourage Trump not to hold up some weapons deliveries the way the Biden administration did, though it continued other deliveries and overall military support.

Netanyahu also wants Trump to put more pressure on Iran, and renew efforts to deliver a historic normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a rival of Iran and the Arab world’s most powerful country.

What we don't know:

It's unclear where Trump stands.

He has been a staunch supporter of Israel, but has also pledged to end wars in the Middle East and took credit for helping to broker the ceasefire agreement. The deal has led to the release of 18 hostages as well as hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

RELATED: Israel, Hamas agree to ceasefire, hostage deal

What's next:

The Israeli leader said he would send a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect talks with Hamas that are being mediated by the Gulf Arab country, the first confirmation that those negotiations would continue. Netanyahu also said he would convene his security Cabinet to discuss Israel’s demands for the next phase of the ceasefire when he returns to Israel at the end of the week.

The backstory:

The war began when thousands of Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Over 100 were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023, eight have been rescued alive and dozens of bodies have been recovered by Israeli forces.

Israel's air and ground war has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The war has left large parts of several cities in ruins and displaced around 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million.

RELATED: Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers in Gaza ceasefire swap for 200 prisoners

Under the ceasefire's first phase, Hamas is to release 33 hostages, eight of whom Hamas says are dead, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have pulled back from most areas and allowed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to devastated northern Gaza while aid flows in.

Negotiations on the second phase, which would end the war and see the remaining 60 or so hostages returned, are set to begin Monday with mediators the U.S., Qatar and Egypt.

By the numbers:

Number of people killed in Israel: Around 1,200

Number of hostages taken into Gaza: 251

Number of hostages in Gaza believed to be alive: 62, including two from before Oct. 7, 2023

Number of captives in Gaza believed to be dead: 36, including two from before Oct. 7, 2023

RELATED: Jewish community mourns NY Israeli-American soldier killed in Hamas attack

Number of Palestinians killed in Gaza: Over 46,000 (This figure from the Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, but the ministry says more than half of the dead were women and children.

Number of Palestinians wounded in Gaza: Over 109,000

Number of militants the Israeli military says it has killed: Over 17,000 (The military has not provided evidence to support the claim.)

Number of Israeli soldiers killed since Oct. 7, 2023: 840

Number of rockets fired at Israel from Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023: Over 10,000