Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plans for Gaza have drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian leaders, human rights groups, and international bodies. In early 2025, Trump outlined policies that experts describe as three clear violations of international law, deepening fears of ethnic cleansing and prolonged conflict in the region.
Trump called for the forced removal of all Palestinians from Gaza, suggesting they be relocated to Egypt, Jordan, or other countries. He claimed this would create stability, framing Gaza as a future “Riviera of the Middle East” for redevelopment. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian leader, condemned the idea: “This is a war crime. Palestinians will never leave their homeland, but merely proposing ethnic cleansing violates international law”. The plan echoes Israel’s decades long blockade and recent attacks, which have displaced over 1.4 million Gazans since 2023.
Trump hinted at supporting Israel’s formal annexation of the West Bank, territory recognized internationally as Palestinian. Such a move would erase hopes of a two-state solution and formalize Israel’s occupation, which has expanded through illegal settlements. “Annexation is theft,” Barghouti stated. “It denies Palestinians their right to self-determination and violates UN resolutions”. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers already live in the West Bank, supported by military checkpoints and violence against Palestinian communities.
Trump proposed that the U.S. should “own” Gaza, he suggested U.S. control over the territory’s land and resources. This would strip Palestinians of sovereignty and allow large-scale exploitation, such as building luxury resorts on destroyed neighborhoods. Mustafa Barghouti strongly opposed the idea stating “Stealing Gaza is not just immoral, it’s a war crime,” said. “This is our land, not a bargaining chip for politicians”.
In January 2025, a fragile ceasefire paused Israel’s 15-month bombardment of Gaza. Trump initially took credit for brokering the deal but later disrupted it in several ways.
Israel, with U.S. support, stopped all food and medicine shipments into Gaza for 18 days, worsening starvation. Only 8,500 of 12,000 promised aid trucks entered by March 2025.
On March 18, Israel launched its deadliest airstrikes since the war began, killing more than 400 people in one day. Trump endorsed the attacks, calling them “necessary”
Trump refused to advance ceasefire negotiations to Phase 2 (lasting peace) and Phase 3 (reconstruction), instead demanding Hamas release all hostages first, a condition absent from the original deal.
Josh Ruebner, a lecturer at Georgetown University noted, “Trump wanted temporary calm to free hostages, not peace”. He also pointed out that Trump’s early calls for removing Palestinians from Gaza showed a lack of sincerity and pushed for ethnic cleansing.
Hamas rejected Trump’s proposals calling them “a recipe for chaos” and vowed to resist displacement. In Gaza, community kitchens displayed signs reading, “We will stay” as families rebuilt tents amid the rubble.
The United Nations labeled Trump’s policies as “collective punishment” and “forced displacement”, both of which are illegal under the Geneva Conventions. The International Criminal Court (ICC) also stated that annexation is a war crime.
France, Germany, and Egypt criticized Trump’s plans. Egypt’s President Sisi warned that forced removal would destabilize the region, Even within Trump’s administration, opinions were divided, some called his ideas bold, while others privately expressed concerns about civilian harm.
Trump’s policies have worsened Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Ninety percent (90%) of Gazans face extreme food shortages, surviving on just one meal a day. Hospitals lack basic supplies like painkillers and antibiotics, leaving injured patients waiting hours for care. Children are showing severe signs of severe PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), with many orphaned or separated from their families. Moreover in March 2025, Trump posted on social media, threatening Gaza, “Release hostages now, or there will be HELL TO PAY.”
Trump’s proposals could turn Gaza into a place of never-ending conflict. Palestinians remain determined to stay on their land, but the U.S.-supported blockade and annexation plans put their future at risk.
Mustafa Barghouti summed it up, “Trump’s war crimes show his disregard for Palestinian lives. But just like apartheid ended in South Africa, justice will win here.” Now, the world waits to see if global pressure can stop these actions; or if Gaza’s suffering will grow even worse.