During a visit to Qatar on Thursday, President Donald Trump floated a provocative foreign policy idea: that the United States should take control of the Gaza Strip and transform it into a “freedom zone.” Speaking at a business roundtable, Trump said, “I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: Make it a freedom zone. Let the United States get involved… I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone, let some good things happen.”
Trump’s remarks come as efforts led by Qatar to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain stalled. He first introduced the idea earlier this year amid the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, launched after the October 2023 Hamas attack that killed more than 1,100 Israelis. In response, Israel’s military campaign has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians.
Trump has previously suggested relocating Gaza’s Palestinian population to other areas in the region while the U.S. rebuilds the territory. However, he has offered little detail on how the U.S. would assume control of Gaza, other than proposing that Israel could transfer authority after concluding its war with Hamas.
The proposal has sparked criticism, including from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia, who view it as unrealistic and potentially destabilizing.
