Hamas says Trump's 'absurd' remarks about Gaza could ignite region

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump's remarks about taking over the Gaza Strip are "ridiculous" and "absurd" and could destabilise the Middle East.

"Trump's remarks about his desire to control Gaza are ridiculous and absurd, and any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region," Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Trump said the US would take control of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and develop it economically after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere, actions that would shatter decades of US policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and infuriate Arab states.

Trump unveiled his surprise plan, without providing specifics, at a joint press conference in Washington on Tuesday with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile Saudi Arabia said it would not establish ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state, contradicting President Donald Trump's claim that Riyadh was not demanding a Palestinian homeland when he said the U.S. wants to take over the Gaza Strip.

"Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land," Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that its stance towards the Palestinians is not negotiable.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has affirmed the kingdom's position in "a clear and explicit manner" that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances, the statement said.

The announcement on Gaza followed Trump's shock proposal earlier on Tuesday for the permanent resettlement of the more than two million Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries, calling the enclave - where the first phase of a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal is in effect - a "demolition site".

Trump urged for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to abandon the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas.

A UN damage assessment released in January showed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble left in Gaza in the aftermath of Israel's bombardment could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.