Senator Loren Legarda has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to "take over" and "own" Gaza while relocating its Palestinian residents to neighboring countries, including Jordan and Egypt. Trump made the remarks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 4 February 2025.

“It is deeply troubling and unacceptable that, after enduring fifteen harrowing months of violence, and decades of continued oppression, Palestinians now clinging on to the last fragments of their destroyed homes in Gaza face the cruel prospect of forced displacement,” Legarda said.

Trump’s statement comes weeks after a ceasefire and hostage-release deal was brokered between Israel and Hamas following a devastating conflict that left nearly 62,000 Palestinians dead.

“It is inconceivable that, in the 21st century, we are witnessing proposals for the mass expulsion of an entire population, effectively erasing them from their homeland, stripping away their identity, and reducing them to permanent refugees. Such an act is not only unconscionable but echoes the darkest chapters of history,” Legarda emphasized.

Trump said the U.S. would have "long-term ownership" of Gaza and rebuild it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," envisioning a cosmopolitan area populated by "the world's people."

Around 92% of housing units in Gaza have been leveled, and critical infrastructure, including water and electricity systems, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, and cultural landmarks, has been severely damaged.

“Gaza is not a token to be owned, traded, or negotiated away. It belongs to the Palestinian people, and it must remain theirs. To suggest otherwise, under the pretext of redevelopment, is a grave injustice that must not be tolerated. Any efforts to rebuild Gaza must make it unequivocally clear that the Palestinians will remain on their land,” Legarda added.

In a 19 July 2024 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal. On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu following an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“The presence of Palestinians in Gaza is not the problem; the real issue lies in the continued illegal occupation of their land, the systemic oppression of their people, and the entrenched inequalities they face," Legarda said.

“What catastrophic consequences might follow if we allow such brazen violations of international law to go unchallenged? Indifference will only encourage other nations to pursue territorial expansion through aggression without fear of accountability. Silence will normalize this, and I will not be complicit. International law exists to prevent such transgressions and safeguard global stability,” she added.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the inalienable rights of Palestinians, urged a permanent ceasefire, and reiterated that the two-state solution remains the only sustainable path to stability in the Middle East.

Legarda warned that whether Trump’s remarks were serious or political posturing, they carry dangerous implications that the international community must not ignore. She called for immediate diplomatic action to uphold justice and human rights.

“The international community must reject, without reservation, any proposals that bear even the faintest shadow of ethnic cleansing. While such actions clearly constitute violations of international law, the pressing question remains: who will step in to prevent them? We must focus on meaningful, sustainable solutions that pave the way for a just and stable future, grounded in the principles of international law,” Legarda concluded.