US President Donald Trump attends a breakfast with business leaders in Doha on May 15, 2025. AFP
"I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good, make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone," the US president said in Qatar, according to AFP.
"I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone," he reiterated without elaborating.
Trump's first proposal for the US to "take over" Gaza was in February during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The proposal also suggested permanently displacing Gaza's population to neighbouring countries, mainly Egypt and Jordan, sparking a widespread rejection and condemnation across the globe, especially from Arab leaders.
Both Egypt and Jordan have firmly condemned Trump's plan as an attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
Meanwhile, the UN and human rights experts considered Trump's proposal as blatantly illegal under international law and “amounts to ethnic cleansing."
In response, Arab and Muslim nations also adopted a $53 billion Gaza reconstruction plan presented by Egypt during a summit in March.
The plan involves a five-year roadmap for Gaza’s recovery, focusing on providing permanent housing for the war-displaced population and ensuring all Gazans remain in their homeland.
The Arab-Islamic plan has also received international backing, especially from the European Union, Russia, and China.
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