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Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib lashes out at Trump over Gaza proposal

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A Michigan Democratic congresswoman who refused to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential run due to the Biden-Harris administration’s stand on Israel is now lashing out against the Republican who defeated her, citing his proposal on ending the Gaza conflict.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib blasted President Donald Trump for his comments on the war in Gaza and urged her allies to ramp up a push for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

“This president can only spew this fanatical bulls— because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing,” Tlaib said on Twitter Tuesday. “It’s time for my two-state solution colleagues to speak.”

Tlaib’s comments came after Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of war-torn Gaza following the war, saying that Palestinians could be resettled to other countries.

SAUDI ARABIA CONTRADICTS TRUMP, VOWS NO TIES WITH ISRAEL WITHOUT CREATION OF PALESTINIAN STATE

President Donald Trump and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Getty Images)

But Tlaib’s calls for other lawmakers to “speak up” comes after she declined to take a stance on last year’s presidential election.

Tlaib’s decision not to endorse a candidate in the presidential race came during a time of severe backlash against the Biden administration’s policies in Gaza by many constituents in her district, with some Muslim leaders going so far as to endorse Trump despite their traditional support for Democratic candidates.

One such leader, Bishara Bahbah, chaired a group known as Arab Americans for Trump. But Bahbah announced on Wednesday that he was changing the name of the group, according to a report from the Associated Press, citing Trump’s comments on Gaza.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib and union activists discuss free speech on college campuses, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP’S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE

“The talk about what the president wants to do with Gaza, obviously we’re completely opposed to the idea of the transfer of Palestinians from anywhere in historic Palestine,” he said in a statement announcing the group’s name would be changed to Arab Americans for Peace. “And so we did not want to be behind the curve in terms of pushing for peace, because that has been our objective from the very beginning.”

But the sudden outcry in reaction to Trump’s comments wasn’t well received by all Democrats, with Democratic strategist Julian Epstein telling Fox News Digital that Trump’s proposal was a lot more positive than anything Tlaib appears to be offering as a solution.

Former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)

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“Whether you agree or disagree with Trump’s proposal, at least he is proposing something that could lead to a bright future for Gaza,” Epstein said. “Tlaib, on the other hand, has advocated for policies that would keep the neo-Nazi, terrorist, race-hating Hamas in power while mimicking their rhetoric rom ‘river to sea,’ for which she was sanctioned by the House, including with Democratic support.”

February 5, 2025
Texas Dem launches first Trump impeachment articles over Gaza

Democratic Rep. Al Green, the Houston, Texas, congressman who made three attempts to impeach President Donald Trump during his first term, initiated his first impeachment effort in 2025.

Green rose to address the House on Wednesday and said “ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the President of the United States.”

“And [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] should be ashamed, knowing the history of his people, to stand there and allow such things to be said.”

Green went on to say his formal impeachment articles are for “dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”

REP. AL GREEN SAYS PRESIDENT IS ‘NO BETTER THAN’ KKK IN WAKE OF ‘LYNCHING’ TWEET

Democratic Rep. Al Green (Roll Call)

Trump had announced Tuesday the U.S. would “take over” war-torn Gaza and allow Palestinians to relocate while it is being essentially repaired.

“I also rise to say that the impeachment movement is going to be a grass up movement, not a top down… I did it before, I laid the foundation for impeachment, and it was done. Nobody knows more about it than I,” Green went on.

“And I know that it time for us to lay the foundation again. On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all on this issue. I stand alone. But I stand for justice.”

Other Democrats appeared lukewarm to Green’s current bid.

“It’s not a focus of our caucus,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Peter Aguilar, D-Calif.

Green’s previous attempts were separate from those successful impeachments forwarded by now-California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and others – which related to Trump’s 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the 2021 Capitol riot.

One Green resolution centered on 2019 Trump tweets deriding members of the left-wing Squad, wherein the president remarked “they [should] go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing at the time of one of Green’s previous impeachment attempts, Republican staff posted a banner of the Democrat’s own words:

“I’m concerned that if we don’t impeach this president, he will get re-elected,” Green had said.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins – then the panel’s ranking member – listed Green’s comments as one of several in remarks criticizing Democrats for trying to usurp the power of the voting booth through political maneuvering.

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“For Democrats, it has been and will always be, to paraphrase Lewis Carroll: ‘Sentence first, verdict later,’” Collins said at the time.

During the Obama administration, the late Rep. Walter Jones Jr., R-N.C., similarly repeatedly called for President Barack Obama’s impeachment over issues ranging from the use of drones to troop casualties in Syria.

Fox News Digital reached out to Green’s office and was told “it is a matter of time” when the articles would be filed.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

February 5, 2025
Allies and foes reject Trump’s ‘Riviera’ plans for Gaza: ‘new suffering and new hatred’

The world reacted in unified shock on Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced his intention that the U.S. develop the Gaza Strip to create a “Riviera of the Middle East,” and that millions of Palestinians living there would be relocated.

The bombshell proposal was made during a press conference on Tuesday when Trump, standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, refused to rule out U.S. military intervention and said Washington “will take over the Gaza Strip.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt looked to ease concerns on Wednesday and said the president has not “committed to putting boots on the ground” or to paying for the reconstruction plans.

But her assurances came after the president’s proposal was met with swift resistance from leaders across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, South America and Oceania.

RAND PAUL RECOILS AT TRUMP’S GAZA TAKEOVER PLANS: ‘I THOUGHT WE VOTED FOR AMERICA FIRST’

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House, Feb. 4, 2025. (Reuters/Leah Millis)

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, which Trump has pushed to “normalize ties” with Israel, flatly rejected Trump’s proposal and in a statement issued by the foreign ministry said there could be no diplomatic relations with the Jewish state without a two-state solution for the Palestinians.

“Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has affirmed the kingdom’s position in ‘a clear and explicit manner’ that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.”

United Arab Emirates

The UAE, which did sign on to the Abraham Accords during the first Trump administration, responded to his remarks in a statement from the foreign ministry and issued a “categorical rejection of violating the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and attempting to displace them, and called for the need to stop settlement activities that threaten regional stability and undermine opportunities for peace and coexistence.”

The ministry “stressed the importance of avoiding everything that could lead to the expansion of the conflict in the region, and explained that the priority now after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip must focus on ending extremism, tension and violence, protecting the lives of all civilians, and delivering urgent, safe and sustainable humanitarian aid.”

Hamas

A senior official with the terror group Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said, “Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass. What is required is to end the [Israeli] occupation and aggression against our people, not to expel them from their land.”

Destruction from Israeli airstrikes is seen in Gaza City on Oct. 11. (AP/Adel Hana)

SAUDI ARABIA CONTRADICTS TRUMP, VOWS NO TIES WITH ISRAEL WITHOUT CREATION OF PALESTINIAN STATE

Palestinian leadership

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas echoed the shared sentiment and said, “The Palestinians will not relinquish their land, rights and sacred sites, and that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the land of the State of Palestine, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”

Iran

A senior Iranian official told Reuters, “Iran does not agree with any displacement of Palestinians and has communicated this through various channels.”

EUROPE

United Kingdom

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been toeing the line when it comes to relations with the U.S. amid the second Trump administration, for the first time on Wednesday broke with Trump and said Palestinians “must be allowed home.”

“They must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them in that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution,” he added, speaking from the House of Commons, Politico EU reported.

Germany

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock took a more direct approach and, in a statement, said, in accordance with international law, “It is clear that Gaza – just like the West Bank and East Jerusalem – belongs to the Palestinians. It forms the basis for a future state of Palestine.

“A displacement of the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and in breach of international law. It would also lead to new suffering and new hatred,” she added.

Palestinians gather in the hope of obtaining aid delivered into Gaza through a U.S.-built pier, May 19, 2024. (Reuters/Ramadan Abed/File Photo)

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

Russia

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s support for a two-state solution and said, “This is the thesis that is enshrined in the relevant U.N. Security Council resolution, this is the thesis that is shared by the overwhelming majority of countries involved in this problem. We proceed from it, we support it and believe that this is the only possible option.”

France

French foreign ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine also released a statement warning that anything but a two-state solution would have destabilizing consequences for the entire region. “France reiterates its opposition to any forced displacement of Gaza’s Palestinian population, which would constitute a serious violation of international law,” he said.

“Gaza’s future must lie not in the prospect of control by a third State but in the framework of a future Palestinian State, under the aegis of the Palestinian Authority.”

China

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, “China has all along believed that ‘the Palestinians governing Palestine’ is the fundamental principle of post-conflict governance of Gaza.

“We oppose the forced displacement of the people in Gaza, and hope that relevant parties will take the opportunity of the ceasefire and post-conflict governance in Gaza to bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of a political settlement based on the two-state solution, so as to realize lasting peace in the Middle East,” he added, during a Wednesday press conference.

Palestinians carry belongings as they leave al-Ahli hospital, which they were using as a shelter, in Gaza City, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Khaled)

Turkey

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told local news outlets that Trump’s proposal was “unacceptable” and argued that plans to leave Palestinians “out of the equation” would lead to more conflict.

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan does not appear to have publicly commented yet, though his strong stance against Israel’s deadly operations in Gaza could signal the two leaders may geopolitically butt heads over how to handle the post-war era in the Gaza Strip.

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OCEANIA

Australia

Australia, which has become a chief ally of the U.S. in countering China – a push Trump has named one of his top priorities – made its position on Trump’s comments clear after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year. The Australian government supports on a bipartisan basis a two-state solution.”

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called Trump’s comments “bravado” and said in an interview with local radio stations, “No country, no matter how important, can fight the entire world all the time.”

“It makes no sense,” he argued while defending a two-state solution. “Where would Palestinians live? This is something incomprehensible to any human being.

“Palestinians are the ones who need to take care of Gaza,” he added.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Caitlin McFall is a Reporter at Fox News Digital covering Politics, U.S. and World news.

February 5, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: US ally cautions world against doubting Trump’s ‘shockingly innovative’ Gaza proposal

UNITED NATIONS — President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. “take over” the Gaza Strip has garnered negative reactions across the globe and even from within his own party.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó, however, doesn’t think the world should be so quick to dismiss President Trump’s proposal. Szijjártó compared the Gaza proposal to another one of Trump’s “shockingly innovative” ideas to a paradigm-shifting move the president made shortly before leaving office in 2020.

“I would like to remind everyone that when President Trump announced his plan regarding the Abraham Accords, there was hardly anyone in the world who would have believed in the success in those agreements, right? And at the end of the day, he made it, and the Abraham Accords have brought a totally new dimension to the life of the Middle East,” Szijjártó told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

The Abraham Accords saw Israel sign treaties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. There was speculation that had President Trump won the 2020 election, Saudi Arabia would have been next to sign a treaty. However, the Saudis made it clear on Tuesday that the country would not forge ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“This is maybe the most complicated issue nowadays in the world, how to make long-term peace in the Middle East,” Szijjártó said, adding that “when it comes to President Trump, I would not exclude anything.”

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first foreign dignitary to visit the White House since President Trump’s return to the Oval Office. His visit came as Israel continues to grapple with the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre nearly 16 months later.

During a joint press conference with Netanyahu, Trump announced his proposal to have the U.S. “take over” the Gaza Strip, saying it would give the Palestinians an opportunity to “live out their lives in peace and harmony.”

President Donald Trump, accompanied by National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, takes a question during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 4, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

HAMAS, WHICH SPARKED WAR WITH ISRAEL, SAYS TRUMP’S REBUILD GAZA PLAN IS A ‘RECIPE FOR CREATING CHAOS’

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he added. “Do a real job, do something different, just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”

President Donald Trump; rubble in Gaza (AP Photo/Morry Gash | Adel Hana)

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Hamas, the terrorist organization currently ruling over the Gaza Strip, broke its silence on Wednesday and slammed Trump’s proposal as a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

February 5, 2025
Trump not committing to putting US troops on the ground in Gaza, White House says

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump isn’t committing to deploying U.S. troops to Gaza after suggesting Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over” the Gaza strip.

“It’s been made very clear to the president that the United States needs to be involved in this rebuilding effort, to ensure stability in the region for all people,” Leavitt told reporters Wednesday at a White House press briefing. “But that does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza. It does not mean American taxpayers will be funding this effort. It means Donald Trump, who is the best dealmaker on the planet, is going to strike a deal with our partners in a region.”

Leavitt said that Trump is an “outside of the box thinker” who is “a visionary leader who solves problems that many others, especially in this city, claim are unsolvable.”

TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABLIZE MIDDLE EAST

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” President Donald Trump said in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured here. (Maya Alleruzzo/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over” the Gaza Strip in a “long-term ownership position” to deliver stability to the region.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said Tuesday evening in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he said. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”

Trump said that “all” Palestinians would be removed from Gaza under his plan. But Leavitt described their removal as “temporary” during the rebuilding process and said that Trump and his team were sorting out specific details with allies in the region regarding next steps.

“Again, it’s a demolition site right now,” she said. “It’s not a livable place for any human being. And I think it’s actually quite evil to suggest that people should live in such dire conditions.”

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER LAUDS TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP WHEN ASKED IF BIDEN SHOULD TAKE CREDIT FOR CEASEFIRE

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, pictured here, on Feb. 5, 2025, said that President Donald Trump isn’t committing to deploying U.S. troops to Gaza. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)

But the proposal for the U.S. to take over Gaza has sparked massive backlash, including from Palestinian, Iran-backed militant group Hamas, designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

“What President Trump stated about his intention to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip outside it and the United States’ control over the Strip by force is a crime against humanity,” a senior Hamas official told Fox News on Wednesday.

Trump’s statements also left Democratic lawmakers in shock.

“I’m speechless, that’s insane,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Jewish Insider. “I can’t think of a place on Earth that would welcome American troops less and where any positive outcome is less likely.”

‘PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH’: TRUMP AND NETANYAHU EXPECTED TO DISCUSS IRAN, HAMAS AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pictured here, told Jewish Insider that Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza “might be problematic,” but that he would “keep an open mind.” (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Some Republicans also voiced caution, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Jewish Insider that the proposal “might be problematic,” but that he would “keep an open mind.”

“We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that,” he said. “I think most South Carolinians would not be excited about sending Americans to take over Gaza.”

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Meanwhile, Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., didn’t appear phased by the remarks.

“I think he wants to bring a more peaceful, secure Middle East and put some ideas out there,” Thune told reporters Wednesday.

Fox News’ Emma Colton and Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.

February 5, 2025
Foreign policy experts split on whether Trump will follow through with Gaza takeover: ‘It’s a wakeup call’

Middle East and foreign policy experts are split on President Donald Trump’s eyebrow-raising call for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza, with some arguing it is a reversal of his “America First” policy and others saying it is just the catalyst required to secure lasting change in the region.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., led the charge opposing Trump’s proposal on Wednesday, declaring on X that taking over Gaza would be “yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood.” Some Middle East experts see Trump’s move differently, however.

James Carafano, a senior counselor at the Heritage Foundation, argued that Trump’s proposal was “dressing down to the entire international community.”

“[It’s] a wake up call that the world really needs to get serious. The notion that we could ever have a safe harbor in the Middle East where people can organize something like Oct. 7 again is unthinkable,” he told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “We are not going back to the bad old days of a hellhole run by Hamas and funded by UNRWA, so people need to start putting some serious equity on the table.”

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP’S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE

Michael Singh, managing director at the Washington Institute for Near East policy, argued that Trump’s offer is meant to be a catalyst for the region, rather than a real plan for the U.S. to deploy in Gaza.

“President Trump obviously likes to be provocative, and his proposal on Gaza is certainly that,” Singh told Fox. “It will elicit strong reactions in the region, but at its heart are two principles that are spot on: America needs to take a leadership role in the Middle East on one hand, but our regional partners need to step up and do more on the other.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

“I do not think the U.S. will take over Gaza; but if President Trump’s salvo prompts regional states to step forward with practical ideas of their own and to do more to address regional crises, it will have served its purpose,” he added.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY EXPLAINS GAZA TAKEOVER PROPOSAL: ‘MORE HOPE’ FOR PALESTINIANS’ FUTURES

While delivering remarks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu on Tuesday, Trump said that Palestinians should be settled outside the Gaza Strip, and that the U.S. will transform the region, which he described as a “demolition site.”

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” Trump declared, saying, “we’ll own it, and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”

“I do see a long term ownership position,” Trump said of the region.

Hamas gathers in a show of strength during a parade by the terror group in Gaza on Jan. 25, 2025. (TPS-IL)

Joe Truzman, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies who focuses on Palestinian militant groups and Hezbollah, argues Trump is serious about his plan rather than using it as diplomatic posturing.

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“A plan to end the cycle of violence is in the United States’ interest and does not conflict with Trump’s America First policy,” Truzman told Fox, noting that the weakened state of Hamas and Iran’s terrorist proxies in the region present a unique opportunity.

“Trump is serious about his plan. Hamas, Iran, and other bad actors in the region who’ve been heavily invested in the conflict understand this. How they react in the coming days and weeks will be an important sign of what is in store for the region,” he added, predicting pushback from al-Qaeda and other groups that benefit from instability in the region.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

February 5, 2025
Trump proposal to invade Gaza a ‘bold’ step toward peace, Mike Johnson says

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza a “bold step” toward restoring peace in the region.

“Of course, the initial announcement yesterday, I think, was greeted with surprise by many, but cheered by, I think, people all around the world,” Johnson said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

“Why? Because that area is so dangerous, and he’s taking bold, decisive action to try to ensure the peace of that region.”

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

Speaker Mike Johnson hailed President Trump’s proposal on Gaza as a ‘bold’ move. (Getty Images)

Johnson also noted that conditions in Gaza needed to change in order to avoid another attack similar to Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel and killed over 1,000 people.

He stopped short of fully endorsing the action, however, and was later pressed again on whether he believed the U.S. should take control of Gaza.

“This is a bold, a decisive move. And I think you have to do something to eradicate the threat to Israel. Here’s the problem – if you leave Gaza in its current form, there’s always a risk of another Oct. 7. There’s always a risk of proxies of Iran, all these terrorist organizations whose stated, openly stated goal is to eliminate Israel as a state,” Johnson said.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference, February 4, 2025 ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

“So it just makes sense to make the neighborhood there safer. I think that’s logical. I think it follows common sense.”

Trump told reporters, “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all the dangerous unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site,” he said.

GOP LAWMAKER CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING OVER DC PLANE CRASH

People inspect the debris and rubble at the site of Israeli bombardment on a residential block in Jalaa Street in Gaza City on Jan. 14, 2025, amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Trump said it would “create economic development that would supply unlimited numbers of jobs” and the U.S. would turn the war-torn region into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Johnson said he would discuss the matter during his own meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 5, 2025
Rand Paul recoils at Trump’s Gaza takeover plans: ‘I thought we voted for America First’

After President Donald Trump announced that America “will take over the Gaza strip,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., pushed back against the idea, suggesting that the move would betray the “America First” principle Trump voters expected.

During his inauguration speech last month, Trump unequivocally declared that throughout his administration he will “put America first,” echoing a longstanding pillar of his political philosophy, which he also expressed during his 2017 inaugural address.

But Paul is throwing a red flag in response to Trump’s newly unveiled Gaza plans.

“The pursuit for peace should be that of the Israelis and the Palestinians. I thought we voted for America First. We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers blood,” Paul declared in a Wednesday post on X.

The senator made the comment in response to a post in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday, “Gaza MUST BE FREE from Hamas. As @POTUS shared today, the United States stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again. Our pursuit is one of lasting peace in the region for all people.”

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

Trump has indicated that the U.S. will “take over” the embattled region. (Left: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

While delivering remarks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu on Tuesday, Trump said that Palestinians should be settled outside the Gaza Strip, and that the U.S. will transform the region, which he described as a “demolition site.”

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” Trump declared, saying, “we’ll own it, and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”

“I do see a long term ownership position,” Trump said of the region.

THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP’S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., called Trump’s proposal “ethnic cleansing.”

“This president is openly calling for ethnic cleansing while sitting next to a genocidal war criminal. He’s perfectly fine cutting off working Americans from federal funds while the funding to the Israeli government continues flowing,” she declared in a post on X.

In a post on another X account she declared, “Palestinians aren’t going anywhere. This president can only spew this fanatical bulls— because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing. It’s time for my two-state solution colleagues to speak up.”

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY EXPLAINS GAZA TAKEOVER PROPOSAL: ‘MORE HOPE’ FOR PALESTINIANS’ FUTURES

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Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., welcomed the president’s remarks.

“This is what the leader of the free world looks like, folks. President Trump campaigned on securing peace in Gaza, and he’s doing just that. Promises made, promises kept — it’ll never get old,” she said in a tweet.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

February 5, 2025
Hamas says Trump’s rebuild Gaza plan is a ‘Recipe for creating chaos’

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The Palestinian terrorist group whose attack on Israel launched the war in Gaza is now calling President Donald Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to rebuild the territory a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”

Trump sent shockwaves throughout the Middle East after announcing last night that the U.S. will “take over the Gaza Strip,” level it and rebuild the area.

“Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,” Hamas told the Associated Press Wednesday.

Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, led to the Israeli military entering the Gaza Strip in their mission to eliminate the Palestinian terrorist group. As a result, the conflict has rendered much of the territory uninhabitable. The U.N. estimated late last year that 1.9 million people – around 90% of Gaza’s population – have been internally displaced.

SAUDI ARABIA CONTRADICTS TRUMP, VOWS NO TIES WITH ISRAEL WITHOUT CREATION OF PALESTINIAN STATE

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas says Trump’s plan for the U.S. to rebuild Gaza is a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.” (AP/Alex Brandon/Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Hamas added to the AP that Trump’s plan is a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”

“What President Trump stated about his intention to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip outside it and the United States’ control over the Strip by force is a crime against humanity,” a senior Hamas official also told Fox News on Wednesday.

“We demand that the mediators, especially the United States, oblige the occupation to implement the ceasefire agreement in its three stages without procrastination or manipulation, as we are committed to implementing the agreement as long as the occupation commits to it, and any manipulation in implementing the agreement may cause it to collapse,” the official added.

THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP’S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

Trump announced in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Tuesday that “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,”

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site,” he continued.

“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” Trump also said. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”

Fox News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst said the timing of Trump’s comments “raises huge questions about the current ceasefire agreement that is supposed to see the remaining hostages released from Gaza.”

“There are dozens of living hostages inside the Gaza Strip right now being held by Hamas, the group that is currently in control of Gaza. And it would not be surprising if tomorrow, Hamas threatens to step back from the current agreement or puts more pressure at the negotiating table,” Yingst said in a video posted on X last night.

Tents are set up among the rubble of destroyed houses in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on Jan. 29. (AP/Jehad Alshrafi)

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“But the timing of these remarks is very significant remembering that these hostages remain in Hamas captivity and Palestinians being removed from Gaza has been a red line not only for Hamas but for regional countries including Egypt, Jordan and others as it relates to the Palestinian people there,” he added.

Fox News’ Trey Yingst and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

February 5, 2025
The history of Gaza amid Trump’s plan to rebuild enclave

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In an audacious move that stunned the world, President Donald Trump unveiled a proposal to relocate 1.8 million Palestinians from Gaza, seeking to rebuild their lives in new places. Addressing the media alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump outlined his ambitious vision for the Gaza Strip.

“I strongly believe that the Gaza Strip, which has been a symbol of death and destruction … for so many decades—devastating for the people living there and for those anywhere near it—should not go through another cycle of rebuilding and occupation by the same people who have fought, lived, died, and suffered in that place.”

The president emphasized the importance of learning from history. “History, you know, just can’t keep repeating itself,” Trump remarked, urging a departure from the failed approaches of the past.

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

President Donald Trump, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

“Dating back nearly 4,000 years, since the time of the Patriarchs Abraham & Isaac, to the time of the mighty Biblical Judge Samson and the Philistines; from the rule of Solomon and the kings of the Davidic Dynasty, and for millenia onward; the territory of modern-day Gaza has been a place of both conflict and hope, trading hands from one ruler to another, with the potential for prosperity just over the horizon, but aside from brief periods, peace for her inhabitants and neighbors remained elusive,” Ze’ev Orenstein, the director of international affairs for the City of David Foundation in Jerusalem, told Fox News Digital

The history of Gaza that Trump was referring to is both a long and tumultuous one.

Biblical Roots: A Battleground for Civilizations

Gaza’s history dates back nearly 4,000 years, frequently appearing in biblical narratives. It was one of the five key cities of the Philistines, who arrived from the Aegean, known for their clashes with the Israelites. The story of Samson, who tore down a Philistine temple, is one of the earliest recorded tales of destruction and rebuilding in Gaza. Over centuries, it was conquered by the Egyptians, Babylonians and Persians, each bringing new rulers and forcing population shifts. Even then, Gaza was a land where people came and went, often not by choice.

Ottoman Rule: A Strategic Military Outpost

Under the Ottoman Empire (1517–1917), Gaza was a military stronghold. The Ottomans used it as a buffer zone, and while some periods saw growth, it was frequently abandoned during wars. In 1799, Napoleon’s forces briefly occupied it before retreating. Once again, Gaza was left in ruins, and its population had to start over.

TRUMP EYES ABRAHAM ACCORDS EXPANSION, GAZA REBUILD WITH NETANYAHU MEETING ON DECK

A view of destroyed buildings caused by Israeli attacks comes to surface following the withdrawal of the Israeli army in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The British Mandate and the First Exodus

When the British took control in 1917, Gaza became part of the British Mandate for Palestine. Tensions between Jews and Arabs escalated, leading to violent clashes. By 1948, when Israel declared independence, thousands of Palestinian refugees fled to Gaza, turning it into an overcrowded enclave under Egyptian rule.

Egyptian Rule: No Citizenship, No Stability

From 1949 to 1967, Egypt controlled Gaza but never integrated it. Palestinians living there were not granted Egyptian citizenship, and Gaza remained impoverished and politically unstable. When Israel captured it in the Six-Day War, the cycle of displacement and destruction resumed.

People inspect the debris and rubble at the site of Israeli bombardment on a residential block in Jalaa Street in Gaza City on Jan. 14, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli Rule: Settlements and Economic Integration

After Israel took over Gaza in the Six-Day War in 1967, Jewish settlements were built within the coastal enclave, creating economic interactions between the two peoples – but also increasing the level of tension.

Amir Tibon, himself a survivor of the October 7 attack, describes in his book “The Gates of Gaza,” Palestinians found out what life looked like for their Israeli neighbors, who enjoyed a significantly higher standard of living. Soon, hundreds of thousands of Gazans would enter Israel daily for work, and Gaza’s economy became tied to Israel’s, but hostility persisted. In the 1980s, the Islamist organization Hamas became a rising force among Palestinians in Gaza, eventually succeeding in taking over the enclave and turning it into a fortress of terror.

‘PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH’: TRUMP AND NETANYAHU EXPECTED TO DISCUSS IRAN, HAMAS AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

The Palestinian Authority’s Short-Lived Rule

After the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) took administrative control of Gaza in the 1990s. For the first time, there was hope for Palestinian self-rule, but corruption and internal strife plagued the PA’s governance. During the Second Intifada (2000–2005), terrorist attacks from Gaza escalated, leading to Israeli military operations that devastated the region once again.

Members of the Hamas terror group gather in Gaza in preparation for the release of four female hostages as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel. (TPS-IL)

Hamas: Ruling by Force, Trapping Its People

In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza, removing all settlements. In 2007, elections were held, and Hamas took control, ousting the PA. Since then, Hamas has engaged in repeated attacks on Israel, leading to destruction and humanitarian crises. With Hamas prioritizing terrorism over governance, Gaza has remained in a state of war and siege. Today, it is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with 2 million residents.

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital, “Israel withdrew unilaterally 20 years ago. Egypt wants nothing to do with Gaza. Hamas is a terrorist group, not a government. Gaza is no man’s land, with 2 million people used as political pawns instead of human beings.”

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A Land That Has Always Been Rebuilt

Trump’s idea of relocating Gaza’s population and rebuilding new communities echoes patterns from the past. Whether it was the Philistines, Ottomans, the British, or Egyptians, Gaza has frequently seen its population displaced, only to return or be reshaped under new rulers. While today’s political realities make mass relocation unlikely, history shows that radical shifts in Gaza’s demography are not unprecedented.

February 5, 2025