"It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn't want to return. Why would they want to return? The place has been hell ... You take certain areas, and you build really good quality housing, like a beautiful town, like some place where they can live and not die, because Gaza is a guarantee that they're going to end up dying ... So I hope that we can do something where they wouldn't want to go back, who wouldn't want to go back," White House press pool quoted Trump as saying before his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I think the potential of the Gaza Strip is unbelievable. And I think the entire world, representatives from all over the world, will be there, and they'll live there. Palestinians, also. Palestinians will live there," the US president said.
"We'll make sure that it's done world-class. It will be wonderful for the people," the US leader added.
"All of them, and then we're talking about probably 1.7 [million] people, maybe 1.8 [million], but I think all of them, I think they'll be resettled in areas where they can live a beautiful life and not be worried about dying every day," he said.
"It doesn't mean anything about a two state or one state or any other state. It means that we want to have, we want to give people a chance at life. They have never had a chance at life because the Gaza Strip has been a hellhole for people living there. It's been horrible," Trump said.
"What is Gaza? There is practically not a building in standing, and they are very dangerous... It is a demolition site. The whole place is demolished. It is unsafe, it is unsanitary. It is not a place where people want to live," the president added.
"The US 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 unexploded 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," Trump explained.
"Again, I ended the last administration's de facto arms embargo on over $1 billion in military assistance for Israel," he noted.
"As far as Gaza is concerned, we'll do what is necessary. If it's necessary, we'll do that," Trump said during his joint press conference with the Israeli prime minister when asked whether Washington may send its military to the enclave to make good on his intention to "take over" Gaza.
"Well, I love, I love Israel. I will visit there, and I'll visit Gaza, and I'll visit Saudi Arabia, and I'll visit other places all over the Middle East. The Middle East is an incredible place, so vibrant. It's just one of the really beautiful places and with great people," he pointed out.