Gaza has long been a powder keg. It exploded after Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and began killing and abducting people, sparking a crushing Israeli military operation that’s only recently stopped under a fragile 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 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;