Trump proposes US ‘take over’ Gaza strip

In a curveball for the Middle East, President Donald Trump offers to put America right in the middle of a decades-long conflict over the Gaza Strip. And the president’s most controversial cabinet pick, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., narrowly advances to a full Senate vote. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Trump proposes US will ‘take over’ Gaza strip

Trump proposed the U.S. “take over” the Gaza strip, insisting Palestinians be permanently resettled elsewhere. The president made those remarks after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

The president’s comments came as Hamas said talks on a second phase of the ceasefire deal with Israel have begun, focusing on shelter, relief and reconstruction in the devastated Palestinian enclave. 

Trump’s remarks to take over the long-disputed area of Gaza followed a proposal that Palestinians should leave their homes and “permanently” resettle elsewhere as they “have no choice.” The president previously suggested either Jordan or Egypt take them in. 

“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza,” Trump said Tuesday. “I think that Gaza has been very unlucky for them. They’ve lived like hell. They lived like you’re living in hell. Gaza is not a place for people to be living. And the only reason they want to go back, and I believe this strongly, is because they have no alternative.” 

In his proposal for a U.S. takeover of the enclave, Trump said the U.S. would develop the area, create thousands of jobs and turn Gaza into “something the entire Middle East can be proud of.” He even suggested it would become the “riviera of the Middle East.” 

Israel, a key U.S. ally, has long sought control of the 25-mile strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea. During Tuesday’s joint press conference, Netanyahu didn’t reject the idea. 

“I mentioned again tonight our three goals, and the third goal is to make sure that Gaza never poses a threat to Israel again,” Netanyahu said. “President Trump is taking it to a much higher level. He sees a different, he sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so much so many attacks against us, so many so many trials and so many tribulations. He has a different idea. And I think it is worth paying attention to this.” 

Egypt, Jordan and other U.S. allies in the Middle East have cautioned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten stability in the region, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push for a two-state solution. 

Last week, Egypt’s president and Jordan’s king dismissed Trump’s calls to resettle Palestinians in their countries. 

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a sharply worded reaction to Trump’s proposal, saying their long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.” Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the U.S. over a deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for a security pact in the region.  

The prime minister of Australia, another U.S. ally, also reiterated his country’s commitment to a two-state solution in Gaza.

First migrant flight lands at Guantánamo Bay

The first military flight carrying migrants to Guantánamo Bay arrived Tuesday night. The move is part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. 

The plane took off from El Paso, Texas, with 10 migrants on board. All prisoners are suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

The U.S. has used Guantánamo’s high-security prison facility to hold al-Qaida members since the war on terror began in the fall of 2001.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that only the “worst of worst” illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes will be housed there. 

The migrants will not share space with the 15 detainees remaining at the facility, including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. 

Approximately 200 U.S. Marines were recently dispatched to Guantánamo to bolster security, help set up the infrastructure and increase the site’s capacity. Defense officials said that number will rise to 500 in the coming days.

Gunman kills 10 at adult education center in Sweden

Swedish authorities believe the attacker who opened fire at an adult education center in Orebro acted alone. The shooting left 11 people dead Tuesday, including the suspected gunman, who is believed to have taken his own life. 

Police said six people remain hospitalized. Five of the hospitalized victims suffered from gunshot wounds, two of which remain in intensive care.

Police have not identified the shooter and do not yet know the motive for the shooting, but said they’ve ruled out anything “ideological.”

Remains of all 67 killed in jet and helicopter collision recovered

Crews recovered the remains of all 67 people killed last week when an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. Authorities have positively identified all but one person.

Crews will now focus solely on clearing the wreckage.

In an update Tuesday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board said it recovered several parts of the airplane, including the right wing, part of the left wing and substantial portions of the forward cockpit and cabin.

The NTSB will lead the investigation into the crash as questions mount about what caused the mid-air collision. 

Once the plane’s wreckage is fully removed, crews will turn their attention to the remnants of the Black Hawk. They expect to complete all removal operations sometime next week.

Pam Bondi confirmed as new US attorney general

The nation has a new attorney general. On Tuesday, the Senate approved Pam Bondi as the next head of the Justice Department by a vote of 54-46. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to join all 53 Republicans in voting yes. 

Bondi is the former attorney general of Florida. She is expected to bring sweeping changes to a department that Trump believes was weaponized against him during the Biden administration. 

Now, all eyes turn to the president’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His nomination made it out of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday by a 14-13 margin, with every Democrat voting against him. 

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy pushed Kennedy over the top after the nominee, who has made headlines for his activism as a lawyer and vaccine skeptic, assured the senator he would not move to eliminate the nation’s childhood vaccination program and vowed to collaborate with Cassidy to “make America healthy again.” 

The full Senate will next vote on the Kennedy nomination, which could occur as soon as this week.

Waffle House charges more for eggs as bird flu drives costs higher

The price of eggs keeps increasing, and now, it’s impacting prices at one of America’s favorite breakfast chains. Waffle House is adding a 50 cent per egg surcharge to its meals as the nation grapples with the largest bird flu outbreak in a decade. 

The chain, known for offering breakfast 24-7, said the resulting egg shortage has led to a dramatic price increase, which it is passing on to customers. 

U.S. egg prices are more than double what they were in the summer of 2023. The average price for a dozen eggs in the U.S. hit $4.15 in December — not quite as high as the $4.82 record set two years ago, but the Department of Agriculture said egg prices will likely jump another 20% this year.

Waffle House said it will continue to monitor prices and get rid of the additional charge when it can.