WSJ has learned of Trump's comparison of the Gaza Strip to a demolition site

U.S. President Donald Trump, comparing Gaza to a demolition yard, repeated his earlier remarks that millions of Palestinians should leave the territory for neighboring countries, perhaps permanently. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on February 5 that.

"The U.S. will take control of the Gaza Strip <...> demolish sites, get rid of destroyed buildings, level the territory, create economic conditions that will provide unlimited jobs and housing for the people of the area," Trump said at a press conference on February 4.

According to the newspaper, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the press conference, the US leader called for the permanent resettlement of Palestinians. In doing so, he described Gaza as "hell".

"I have a feeling that the king of Jordan and the general of Egypt will open their hearts and give us the land that we need to do that", Trump said.

Trump has proposed taking over the Gaza Strip and evicting Palestinians. What the media is saying

That the United States will take control of the Gaza Strip, Trump announced the previous day during a press conference. At the same time, he specified that the state will own the territory and be responsible for its restoration.

On the same day, Trump proposed to relocate refugees from the Gaza Strip to more livable places. He told reporters that a hypothetical resettlement of Palestinians could take place in Egypt or Jordan (two countries that have repeatedly rejected the idea of accepting large numbers of Palestinian refugees) or to "other places" that "could be very beautiful, safe and nice."

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), for its part, reported that Trump described the Gaza Strip as prime real estate in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the summer of 2024. According to the publication, the idea of taking control appeared in the U.S. President recently, and only the close entourage knew about it.

The situation in the Middle East escalated in the morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to massive rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.