Former US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he believes the US “will have Gaza,” citing “US authority” as the basis for claiming the enclave.

“We’re going to have it, we’re going to keep it, and we’re going to make sure that there’s going to be peace and there’s not going to be any problem. Nobody’s going to question it, and we’re going to run it very properly,” Trump said during a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II on Tuesday.

Trump suggested that Gaza could be developed into lucrative property for resorts and office buildings. When pressed by reporters on what would allow the US to seize control of Gaza, he responded, “Under US authority.”

Dismissing the notion of purchasing the land, Trump stated, “We’re not gonna have to buy… we’re gonna have Gaza, we don’t have to buy, there’s nothing to buy.”

“It’s a war-torn area. We’re going to take it, we’re going to hold it, we’re going to cherish it, we’re going to get it going eventually, where a lot of jobs are going to be created for the people in the Middle East. It’s going to be for the people in the Middle East, but I think it could be a diamond,” he added.

Trump denied any personal interest in developing property in Gaza and downplayed previous threats to withhold US aid if Jordan and Egypt refused to resettle nearly two million Palestinians displaced under his proposal. Instead, he emphasized a “good relationship” with Jordan, suggesting that financial threats were unnecessary.

“We contribute a lot of money to Jordan and to Egypt, by the way, a lot to both. But I don’t have to threaten that. I think we’re above that,” he said.

Trump claimed that Egypt and Jordan would agree to provide “a parcel of land” in each country to resettle displaced Palestinians. However, he noted, “We may have someplace else, but I think when we finish our talks, we’ll have a place where they’re going to live very happily and very safely.”

King Abdullah announced that Jordan would take in 2,000 children suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses. Trump, unaware of the plan, called it “fantastic” and “music to my ears,” adding that he is “99 percent” certain “we are going to work something out with Egypt.”

Trump also expressed skepticism that Hamas would meet his Saturday deadline to release all remaining hostages in Gaza or risk the cancellation of the ceasefire deal with Israel.

“I have a Saturday deadline, and I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline. Personally, I think they want to play tough guy, but we’ll see how tough they are. But it’s going to be a wonderful thing. It’s going to be wonderful for the Middle East,” he said.

On Monday, Hamas declared that it had fully met its commitments under the ceasefire deal and accused Israel of violating four key provisions. On Tuesday, Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the next hostage release was postponed until Israel complied with all terms of the agreement.

Trump has left open the possibility of American involvement if the deadline is not met, a stance echoed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned that if Hamas did not return Israeli hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire would be terminated, and the Israeli military would resume intense fighting.

The ceasefire deal, in place since January 19, halted Israel’s military operations in Gaza after more than 48,000 people—mostly women and children—were killed. The enclave has been left in ruins, with severe shortages of essential supplies due to Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries.

Under the first phase of the truce, which runs until early March, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The sixth scheduled swap between Israel and Hamas was expected to take place this week.