WSJ has learned of Trump's conversation with Netanyahu about "prime real estate" in Gaza

US President Donald Trump called the Gaza Strip "prime real estate" in the summer of 2024 in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Wall Street Journal(WSJ) reported on February 5, citing sources.

"In the summer, Trump told Netanyahu during a telephone conversation that the Gaza Strip is prime real estate and asked him to think about what hotels could be built there," the material says.

It is specified that in the conversation with the Israeli prime minister, Trump did not mention the plan to take control of the Gaza Strip.

WSJ notes that Trump's idea of taking Gaza has arisen recently. It is specified that only the US President's inner circle knew about it. He also discussed this plan with allies and aides. At the same time, according to the newspaper, officials outside the inner circle did not know about the discussion of the topic of taking Gaza.

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On the eve of the press conference, Trump said that the United States will take control of the Gaza Strip. At the same time, he specified that the state would own the territory and be responsible for its restoration, The New York Times (NYT) specified.

At the same time, 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 in "other places" that "could be very beautiful, safe and nice."

Later on Feb. 5, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed the president's statement that the states are ready to take control of the Gaza Strip. He also noted that the U.S. seeks to achieve peace for all people in the Middle East region.

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