US President Donald Trump announced plans for American control and redevelopment of the Gaza Strip following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 4, potentially changing the face of the region.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too," Trump declared during a joint press conference alongside Netanyahu at the White House, describing his vision for transforming the area into what he called a new “Riviera,” following his comments on "total obliteration" of Iran. 

Trump's comments come as Israeli architecture firm Harey Zahav's "Golden Mountains" previously mockingly announced plans to redevelop the Gaza coastline, uploading pictures onto their social media in 2024, causing an online storm, with those who support Palestine. 

The proposal includes American oversight of unexploded ordnance removal and reconstruction efforts. When questioned about potential US military deployment to fill any security vacuum, Trump left the possibility open, stating: “As far as Gaza is concerned, we'll do what is necessary. If it's necessary, we'll do that.”

“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East,” Trump explained. “This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent.”

President Trump addressed the potential resettlement of Gaza's approximately 1.8mn residents, expressing his belief that Egypt and Jordan “won’t tell him no,” despite their previous objections to accepting Palestinian refugees, expressing confidence that regional countries would cooperate. "They won't tell me no. I want to remove all the residents of Gaza," he stated. “It will happen.”

“Look, the Gaza thing has not worked. It's never worked. And I feel very differently about Gaza than a lot of people. I think they should get a good, fresh, beautiful piece of land, and we get some people to put up the money to build it and make it nice and make it habitable and enjoyable,” Trump had previously stated regarding the living conditions of Gazans following the war with Israel.

He added that they appear to have no feasible alternative living arrangement aside from relocation, adding: “What do they have? It is a big pile of rubble right now. I mean, have you seen the pictures of it? Have you been there? It's terrible to live. Who can live like that?”

Trump then outlined his vision for a complete transformation of the territory, stating that he wants to “resettle people permanently in nice homes and where they can be happy and not be shot, not be killed.”

“I don't think people should be going back to Gaza,” he continued, describing current living conditions as “hell.” While he later suggested that Palestinians could be among future residents, he claimed that this would not be a permanent arrangement.

On the hot-button issue of West Bank annexation, the US president stated: “I'm not going to talk about that”. Still, he addressed the relatively small size of Israel, explaining: “It certainly is a small, it’s a small country in terms of land.” He then picked up a pen and displayed it to the journalists present, stating: “See this pen? This wonderful pen on my desk is the Middle East, and the top of the pen, that’s Israel.”

Arab foreign ministers issued a statement rejecting US President Donald Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan during a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo on February 3.

Foreign ministers from Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, along with the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, met in Cairo and released a joint statement outlining key agreements as Isreali Prime Minister met with Donald Trump in Washington.