Trump says the U.S. will 'own' Gaza — what that could mean for the Middle East

Published February 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM EST

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein (L) in the Oval Office. The meeting comes as Trump has proposed that the United States take an ownership position of Gaza.

The Gaza Strip – ground zero of Israel's war with Hamas – is only about twice the size of Washington, DC. It has about 25 miles of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of about 2 million people.

Last week, President Trump proposed relocating those people to other countries in the region, like Egypt and Jordan.

Trump has said the Palestinians would not be allowed to return: UN officials and others say Trump's plan would amount to ethnic cleansing. Despite domestic and international concerns that the U.S. is empire building, Trump continues to double down on his plans for the U.S. to "own" Gaza.

Trump says the U.S. is going to take over Gaza, though he offers few specifics. What could the proposal mean for Palestinians and the broader Middle East?

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