Although the president had been talking about the idea for weeks, there had been no meetings on the subject, and senior members of his government were taken by surprise.

Palestinians in Gaza say they are determined to rebuild their own seafront restaurants and hotels, dismissing U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of creating a "Riviera of the Middle East" emptied of its population and under U.

A day after worldwide condemnation of Trump's announcement that he aimed to take over and develop the Gaza Strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East", Israel ordered its army to prepare to allow the "voluntary departure" of Gaza's residents.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there. "The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting.