Trump Calls Gaza 'One Of The Worst Real Estate Deals Ever Made': 'They Gave Up Oceanfront Property'

President Donald Trump told press at the Oval Office on Monday that Gaza was "one of the worst real estate deals ever made," adding that Israel "gave up oceanfront property" when it disengaged from the strip in 2005.

It is not the first time Trump talks about Gaza in such terms. In February, he said the U.S. would "take over" the enclave, saying a plan could turn it into the "Rivera of the Middle East." "The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it," Trump said. The plan never materialized.

Back on Monday, Trump also addressed negotiations between Israel and Hamas to end the war in the enclave, saying "we're doing pretty well." "I think we could have something fairly soon to talk about," he added.

Despite Trump's claims, the latest reports claim negotiations are stuck and on the brink of collapse. A senior Palestinian official said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "bought time" when going to Washington D.C. to meet with Trump, and that the delegation sent to Qatar didn't have real authority to make key decision, including the withdrawal of troops from parts of the strip.

Hamas has said assistance has to be coordinated via the United Nations and international organizations, while Israel pushes for it to be distributed through the US-backed mechanism run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.