What Are the Pros and Cons of the US Taking Control of Gaza? Cedarville University Professor of International Studies Weighs In

Hamas cannot remain in control of Gaza, Duerr argued. “I mean, really, there’s no good, non-Hamas Palestinians to take control,” he said. “So what do you do?”

In reference to Trump’s statement that “all hell is going to break out” if the hostages aren’t released, Duerr said, “[Trump] could simply allow the Netanyahu Government and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to go back into Gaza to really go in and get the hostages back.”

According to Duerr, Trump could allow Israel to use 2,000-pound bunker buster bombs that were previously disallowed shipment by the Biden administration. Those bombs would be useful and would reflect Trump’s devastating terminology, Duerr explained, because of all the underground bunkers Hamas has created throughout Gaza.

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Duerr believes this is an attempt “to push Hamas to the negotiating table.” Trump is also “trying to get other players in the region from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, to get more involved,” Duerr added. “Maybe they can fund parts of this. Maybe they’re part of the long term solution.”

“It’s long been floated that a Palestinian territory can be created out of Saudi Arabia. That doesn’t sound good to a lot of people, especially the Saudis, but it’s putting a lot of different things back on the table,” Duerr said.

A US Take-Over of Gaza ‘Is Dangerous in the Sense That It’s Legitimating Imperialism’

When asked to weigh in on Trump’s desire for the U.S. to take over Gaza, Duerr said, “It’s imperialism,” something that hasn’t been a feature of international politics since 1945.

“But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it brought us back to that world,” Duerr said, “and so Trump raising that idea is dangerous in the sense that it’s legitimating imperialism.”

Another negative is the “forced movement” of over 2 million Gazans. “Where are they moving?” Duerr asked. Also, this type of operation will “require boots on the ground.”

Duerr pointed out that “Trump has labeled himself as a peacemaker, and he really was very peaceful in this first term. But many Republicans, especially in the Senate, are reticent of putting boots on the ground.” Duerr reiterated, “It would require that—it would require an American force.”

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On the other hand, Duerr said, “I’ve been at pains for months to describe what would happen in phase two and phase three (of the ceasefire negotiations), because there’s no great option.” He continued, “Israel doesn’t want it. Hamas can’t do it. Egypt doesn’t want it. Saudi Arabia doesn’t want to get involved. So what do you do? So it is a new and good idea.”

“Trump is also very savvy in terms of business—that’s where he’s made his name,” Duerr said. Gaza has some of the nicest beaches in that region, Duerr explained, and “there’s a very good idea in here, and that is tourism, [the] hotel industry…the best beaches in all of the Mediterranean are in Gaza reportedly.”

Duerr said that Trump has “got that vision of a businessman to see it…so that’s the potential vision for it, because it’s a way of breaking through the intransigence.”

“So maybe Trump is posturing to say, maybe it’s not the U.S. leading it,” he added. “But if others can stabilize it…This could be really, as Trump described it, just a beautiful spot in the Mediterranean.”

The other pro to Trump’s potential plan is that it would bring “peace” to the region, Duerr said, adding, “This has been going on way too long.”

“Gaza was always restive, always had issues, was always lobbing mortars and sometimes higher tech rockets missiles into Israel, whereas the West Bank [has been] getting better,” Duerr explained. “So peace, I think, is what President Trump wants, and so it’s a pro.”