Trump’s Gaza plan: A new low in brutality and immorality

President Donald Trump’s proposal to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza and repurpose their land is not just another reckless idea. Actually, it is one of the most shameless and unethical policy proposals in modern history. It is an escalation so extreme that even Benjamin Netanyahu, whose hands are already soaked in the suffering of Gaza, seems taken aback.

For months, former President Joe Biden has enabled the devastation of the besieged Gaza through his unwavering military and diplomatic support for Israel’s war. Now, Trump steps in, proposing to finish the job by ensuring that Palestinians are permanently exiled from their homeland. One has overseen mass killings; the other is plotting forced displacement. When it comes to Gaza, the difference between them is merely a matter of methods.

Even Netanyahu is shocked

In a shocking revelation, Trump stated that Israel would hand over Gaza to the U.S. once the fighting ended and that the enclave’s population would already be resettled elsewhere. According to him, this arrangement meant that no U.S. troops would be required on the ground. This declaration only reinforced the argument that his vision for Gaza was one of forced displacement and complete U.S. control, rather than any form of self-determination for Palestinians.

From the moment Trump announced that “the U.S. will take over Gaza,” it was clear he had no interest in pretending this was about peace or humanitarian aid. This was a land grab, a colonial project in its most blatant form. He spoke of flattening Gaza, clearing it of its people, and rebuilding it as the “Riviera of the Middle East,” as if Palestinians were obstacles rather than human beings. He did not even attempt the usual political theater of pretending to seek a peaceful resolution.

Even Netanyahu, the architect of the current devastation, reacted with visible surprise. While the Israeli leader has never concealed his desire to weaken or control Gaza, the idea of an explicit, U.S.-led population transfer on this scale must have seemed too brazen even for him. That should tell you something. Netanyahu has spent decades pushing policies that strip Palestinians of their land and rights. Yet even he appeared taken aback that an American president would so openly call for the mass removal of an entire population.

This is not just another cruel twist in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the next phase of a plan that has been unfolding in plain sight. Biden’s role was to oversee the destruction of Gaza, ensuring that entire neighborhoods were reduced to dust and that living conditions became unbearable. Trump’s role is now to make sure those who survived have nowhere to return to. One bombs, the other displaces. The result is the same: Gaza, emptied of its people.

World’s response: A rare moment of unity against Trump

Russia also condemned Trump’s remarks, calling any populist comments on Gaza counterproductive and further escalating tensions. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the situation in Gaza has worsened from a tragedy to a catastrophe.

Trump’s proposal was met with near-universal condemnation. European leaders swiftly rejected it, with Germany, France, Spain, and the U.K. reaffirming their support for a two-state solution and warning that forcibly displacing Palestinians would be a grave violation of international law.

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the plan unacceptable and a dangerous escalation that could fuel further hatred. The European Union stated that Gaza is an integral part of a future Palestinian state and rejected any third-party control over it.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denounced the proposal as an absurd and unacceptable imposition, warning that it would only extend the suffering of Palestinians. Russia, China, Ireland, and several other countries echoed similar concerns, rejecting any plan that displaces Palestinians from their homeland. Even within Washington, Trump’s remarks were met with disbelief, as bipartisan criticism highlighted the recklessness and inhumanity of such a scheme.

White House scrambles; but the truth is clear

Following Trump’s outburst, his administration scrambled to soften the message, as if the public had simply misheard him. Officials quickly attempted to spin the plan as a “redevelopment initiative”, claiming that displaced Palestinians could eventually return. Secretary of State Marco Rubio even went as far as to insist that the move was not “hostile” and that after reconstruction, “people can move back in”.

The dishonesty of this claim is staggering. If Trump’s vision is realized, Gaza enclave of the State of Palestine will not belong to its people; but it will belong to foreign investors eager to turn a war zone into a high-end development project. Palestinians will not be “moving back in”. They will be locked out, watching as their homeland is erased and repackaged as a luxury destination for the wealthy.

To those who try to dismiss this as mere posturing, remember this: Trump does not need to fully execute his plan to cause permanent harm. The very suggestion of forced displacement normalizes the idea, making it easier for others to push similar policies in the future. He is laying the groundwork for a broader campaign of ethnic cleansing, even if he himself does not see it through.

Crime against humanity in broad daylight

Forced population transfers are war crimes. The removal of over 2 million Palestinians from Gaza would not just be an outrage; it would be one of the most egregious human rights violations and war crimes of the century. Under international law, the Geneva Conventions explicitly prohibit forced displacement, particularly when carried out under the threat of violence or as part of a campaign to eliminate an indigenous population.

The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over Gaza, meaning that if Trump or any of his enablers attempted to move forward with this plan, they would be subject to international prosecution. But when has international law ever stopped those who see themselves as untouchable? When has the ICC, or the United Nations, or any other global institution successfully held world leaders accountable for crimes against Palestinians? The reality is that the only thing standing in the way of this nightmare becoming reality is resistance. In a legitimate way and legal framework, the Palestinian resistance, regional resistance, and global resistance or activism.

Blatant hypocrisy of the West

Perhaps the most nauseating aspect of this entire debacle is the shameless hypocrisy of Western leaders who claim to champion democracy and human rights. If another country had proposed forcibly removing an entire population and turning their land into an exclusive playground for the rich, the backlash would be overwhelming. If this were happening anywhere else in the world, there would be calls for sanctions, diplomatic isolation and military intervention.

But when it is Palestinians who are being targeted, the world shrugs. Governments that claim to uphold international law suddenly go silent. The same Western nations that have spent decades condemning ethnic cleansing in other parts of the world refuse to even use the term when it applies to Israel’s actions. The message is clear: Palestinian lives are considered disposable. Their land is seen as negotiable. Their suffering is treated as an inconvenience rather than a crisis.

This will not end with Gaza

What Trump is proposing is not just about Gaza; it is a blueprint. If this plan is tolerated, it will set a precedent that will be used elsewhere. It will be the model for how powerful nations can seize land under the guise of redevelopment, how they can justify ethnic cleansing with promises of economic prosperity. It will send the signal that if you erase an entire population and wait long enough, the world will eventually accept it as the new status quo.

Hamas strongly rejected Trump’s proposal, labeling his remarks as a “declaration of intent to occupy” Gaza. In response, the group has called for an urgent Arab summit to address the implications of such statements.

For those who think this is an exaggeration, look at history. “The Nakba” was dismissed as an exaggeration, too. The idea that Palestinians would never be allowed to return to their homes after 1948 was once considered unthinkable. Now it is a reality. What U.S. President Trump is suggesting is simply the next step in the process: completing what was started decades ago.

Gaza belongs to its people, not to highest bidder

Trump’s proposal is not just reckless. It can be considered as a declaration of war against Palestinian existence. It is a policy that strips people of their homes, their history, and their right to exist in their own land. It is a project that would turn Gaza into nothing more than a real estate development opportunity, where the ruins of Palestinian life are repurposed into a playground for those rich enough to afford it.

This plan must be met with absolute and unrelenting rejection. The Gaza enclave, part of the occupied “State of Palestine”, which is officially recognized by 145 out of 193 U.N. member states, including several EU nations, belongs solely to its people; not to developers, not to foreign governments and certainly not to Donald Trump. There is no compromise to be found here. There is no room for negotiation when the very existence of a people is at stake. The message to Trump, Netanyahu and their enablers is simple: Palestinians are not an obstacle to be removed. Gaza is not for sale!

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About the author: Tolga Sunhiran is a freelance writer specializing in political and global issues.