President Donald Trump said Palestinians will not have the right to return to their homes in the Gaza Strip under his proposal for U.S. ownership of the territory in a Fox News interview, describing Gaza as "a beautiful piece of land" and "a future real estate development."

Aides had sought to walk back the president’s proposal, which drew condemnations. Israel’s defense minister said its military would draft plans for Gazans who wished to leave.

In interviews, Palestinian Americans said that it was surreal and horrifying to hear the president talk about expelling millions of people from the Gaza Strip and placing it under U.S. control.

President Donald Trump said Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for U.S. “ownership”

U.S. President Donald Trump is doubling down on his demand that Jordan permanently take in Palestinians while the U.S. takes over Gaza. Tuesday’s White House meeting came amid a possible collapse of the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza and take over the territory was rejected by several foreign nations, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China.