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Trump's AI Gaza Video Draws Swift Backlash: "Your Graveyard" [1]

['Jim Banks', 'Matt Robison']

Date: 2025-02-26 04:01:28-05:00

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

President Donald Trump's video posted on Facebook of a Gaza reborn as a lavish resort replete with golden images of himself and including a beach scene with Israel's prime minister has drawn scorn and fury on social media in the Arab world.

Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on the backlash outside normal business hours.

Why It Matters

The video shows that Trump is doubling down on his proposal for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip at the end of Israel's war with Hamas, which has left the territory in ruins since the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza launched its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Middle Eastern leaders have already voiced horror at Trump's idea for relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan to create a new Riviera on the Mediterranean and this underlines the pressure on them to come up with an alternative plan.

The video also comes at a time that a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel remains on shaky ground, with both sides accusing the other of violating the protocols over an agreement that is designed to swap Israeli hostages in Gaza who were seized in the 2023 attack for jailed Palestinian prisoners.

What We Know

Reaction to Trump's video in the Middle East was swift and harsh.

"Man, do you think that a population which faced death for over a year under bombardment, displacement and death can be displaced with your failed plans and words? By God, Gaza will be your graveyard," wrote Omar Hussein, who described himself as a student in Jordan, in a comment on the video that got more than 100 likes.

Images from an AI-generated video posted on President Donald Trump's page of a new vision for the Gaza Strip Images from an AI-generated video posted on President Donald Trump's page of a new vision for the Gaza Strip Photos from Facebook video

There were a few positive voices among nearly 10,000 comments by the time of publication, such as Monica Hudson, an American, who wrote: "I want to see them live better too" and "They will thank you later."

But the vast majority of comments were negative — particularly those that came from people who identified as being in the Middle East.

Golden Figures of Trump

Trump's AI-generated video shows children leaving rubble-filled streets in 2025 and then running back to what has been transformed into a modern resort city with beachside skyscrapers. It shows images of cascading money, bearded belly dancers and Trump in a nightclub. It also shows golden statues of Trump — something that would be forbidden as idolatrous in Islam.

The closing scene is Trump relaxing on a sun lounger next to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is widely portrayed as a devil in Gaza.

Israel's Gaza offensive killed at least 48,000 Palestinians, according to officials in the Hamas-run territory cited by the Associated Press. Hamas killed some 1,200 Israelis in the initial attack and took around 250 people hostage.

What People Are Saying

Mohamed Abdo, who describes himself as a digital creator and has over 3,600 followers on Facebook: "No matter how narcissist you become you will not be able to harm Gaza and its land as long its population is standing firm against your damned plans."

Farhan Shaaban Abou Khaled, an entrepreneur who lives in Saudi Arabia and has over 4,100 followers on Facebook: "Palestinians will never leave their land even if got more destroyed than this destruction."

Video posted on Trump's Facebook page: "Donald Trump is to set you free, bringing the light for all to see. No more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here."

What Happens Next

The three-stage ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is now approaching the end of the first of three phases and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff could travel to the region soon to look at next steps. Leaders in the Arab world are working to come up with an alternative to Trump's Gaza plan and say it must include a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

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[1] Url: https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-glitzy-gaza-video-draws-swift-backlash-your-graveyard-2036329

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