145 U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Condemn Trump’s Plan to Seize Gaza
House Democrats urge Trump to retract his "dangerous" Gaza takeover plan.
Watan-145 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, urging him to retract his “dangerous” statements in which he revealed a plan for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip.
The American news website Axios reported this on Thursday, noting that the signatories represent about two-thirds of the 215 Democratic members in the House.
House Democrats Condemn Trump’s Gaza Plan
In the letter, excerpts of which were published by Axios, the lawmakers expressed their shock over an American president advocating for the permanent forced displacement of two million people—the Palestinian population of Gaza.
The signatories, who make up a third of the total 435 House members, warned that this move is “not just an unethical action” but would also “harm the United States’ global standing, put American forces at risk, and increase terrorist threats.”
They also pointed out that Trump’s proposal “could hinder the United States’ chances of cooperating with its Arab partners to rebuild Gaza and find a peaceful solution to the conflict with Israel.”
The campaign to collect signatures for the letter was led by Representatives Sean Casten of Illinois and Brad Sherman of California.
Although initial optimism spread globally when Trump facilitated a ceasefire agreement in Gaza—including a prisoner exchange deal—on January 19, this optimism quickly turned to pessimism due to his openly pro-Israel stance after officially assuming office the following day.
Trump’s Gaza Takeover Plan Sparks Global Backlash
One of the most controversial positions was his statement during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 4, where he announced the United States’ intention to seize control of Gaza after forcibly displacing Palestinians—primarily to Egypt and Jordan. This declaration was met with widespread rejection at Palestinian, Arab, and international levels.
The plan also drew criticism from lawmakers in both parties in the U.S., with some Republicans expressing their discontent, arguing that it was impractical and contradicted Trump’s declared policy of non-intervention abroad.
With American backing, Israel carried out a genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, resulting in approximately 160,000 Palestinian casualties, most of whom were women and children, along with over 14,000 missing persons.
On January 19, a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel went into effect. Its first phase is set to last 42 days, during which negotiations will take place to move into the second and third phases, with mediation from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
