Based in his hometown of Staten Island, New York City, Tom O’Connor is an award-winning Senior Writer of Foreign Policy and Deputy Editor of National Security and Foreign Policy at Newsweek, where he specializes in covering the Middle East, North Korea, China, Russia and other areas of international affairs, relations and conflict.
Hamas has criticized an AI video recently shared on U.S. President Donald Trump’s accounts. The video offered a vision of Gaza transformed into a Riviera-style resort, featuring scenes of Trump relaxing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A Hamas official told Newsweek that the video did not accurately reflect the cultures and interests of the people.
This AI-generated video has intensified existing concerns in the Middle East. These concerns center around the possibility that Trump is serious about his proposal to relocate Palestinians from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and transform the area into a U.S.-led Mediterranean vacation destination.
The militant group Hamas currently faces an uncertain future in the Gaza Strip, a territory it administers. A fragile ceasefire is in place with Israel, with the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners temporarily halting the ongoing conflict. The conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has resulted in significant devastation to the Gaza Strip.
A senior Hamas official told Newsweek, “Unfortunately, Trump is once again proposing ideas that do not take into account the cultures and interests of the people.”
Basem Naim, a spokesperson and member of the Hamas Political Bureau, stated, “The people of Gaza are looking forward to the day when they see Gaza rebuilt, economically revived and building a better future for its children, but this cannot succeed inside the big prison.” He further emphasized, “We are not struggling to improve prison conditions, but to get rid of the prison and the jailer.”
The AI-generated video depicted Gaza as a beachfront casino resort. It included a large golden statue of Trump, images of belly dancers with beards, and scenes of money being thrown into the air. The video also featured an appearance by tech billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk. The video concludes with a scene of Trump relaxing on a sun lounger alongside Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to officials within the Hamas-run territory cited by the Associated Press, at least 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive. In the initial attack, Hamas killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and took around 250 people hostage.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim offered a statement regarding the situation: “We are ready to cooperate with any party that wants to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip, rebuilding their country, and facilitating this noble mission on the basis of respecting the will of our people and their adherence to their land.”
Video posted on Trump’s social media accounts included the lines: “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.”
Exchanges continue of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners during the volatile ceasefire. Whether or not Trump’s vision for Gaza will ever become reality, it does put pressure on Arab countries to develop initiatives to stabilize Gaza—potentially excluding Hamas from such plans.
