President Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening that the United States will “take over” the Gaza Strip in order to bring the Israel-Hamas war to an end.

Trump appeared beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an East Room press conference after leaders had met in the Oval Office to discuss the next steps for Palestine and Israel. During the briefing, Trump said the Gaza Strip has been an “unlucky place for a long time,” adding how it’s been a “symbol of death and destruction for so many decades.”

However, the president later declared the area will “have peace,” saying the only reason Palestinians want to go back is due to having “no alternative.”

“They’re living under fallen concrete that’s very dangerous and very precarious. They instead can occupy all of a beautiful area with homes and safety, and they can live out their lives in peace and harmony instead of having to go back and do it again,” Trump added. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too.”

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“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area, do a real job, do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years,” Trump added.

After 15 months of destruction and death, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on Jan. 15 for a temporary ceasefire. By Jan. 19, the first three Israeli hostages — 24-year-old Romi Gonen, 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher and 28-year-old Emily Damari — were released, with 33 total captives expected to be freed over a six-week period, according to CBS News.

Featured Image Credit: WAFA (Q2915969) in contract with a local company (APAimages)WAFA (Q2915969) in contract with a local company (APAimages)​_