Gaza has long been a powder keg, and it exploded after Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and began killing and abducting people, sparking a crushing Israeli military operation there that’s only recently reached an uneasy ceasefire.

Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take “ownership” over Gaza and displace Palestinians added to uncertainty over the fate of the enclave and its residents.

President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to take over Gaza, permanently displacing Palestinians who live there and creating the "Riviera of the Middle East," has upset Arab nations and Western allies and would overturn decades of American policy in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday there was nothing wrong in Donald Trump's idea of displacing Palestinians from Gaza after the U.S. president's proposal drew international criticism.

While far-right Israeli politicians see a chance to snuff out Palestinian hopes for statehood, some in the establishment worry the proposal could spark violence.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will take over and own the Gaza Strip, adding that "the same people" should not be in charge of rebuilding and occupying the land. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt;