Gaza City: Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about his intention to buy and own the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that the region is a fundamental part of Palestine.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Hamas Political Bureau member Izzat al-Rishq issued a statement declaring Trump’s comments as demonstrating a ‘deep ignorance’ of Palestine and the broader region.

Al-Rishq firmly stated that Gaza is not a commodity to be traded, but an integral part of the occupied Palestinian land. He cautioned that regarding the Palestinian issue with a real estate mindset is a path to failure and assured that the Palestinian people will resist all plans of displacement and forced expulsion. Al-Rishq reiterated that Gaza belongs to its people, who will only leave to return to their ancestral towns and villages occupied in 1948.

Trump announced on Sunday his commitment to acquiring Gaza, suggesting that while the U.S. might oversee its rebuilding, other states in West Asia could be involved in redevelopment efforts. He expressed that his administration is determined to ensure Hamas does not regain control, describing the region as a ‘demolition site.’

Since taking office on January 20, Trump has suggested the U.S. could take control of Gaza, a notion that has sparked widespread condemnation from West Asia and beyond. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also remarked on Sunday that no power could displace Gazans from their historic homeland, asserting that Gaza, the West Bank, and East al-Quds are Palestinian territories.

Erdogan dismissed Trump’s proposals as being under pressure from Israel and labeled them as futile and without purpose. He reiterated that Palestine, including its critical regions, rightfully belongs to the Palestinian people.