Trump first floated the idea in February of a U.S. ownership of the beleaguered Gaza Strip to bring “peace” to what he described as a “demolition site.”

For a leader who campaigned on a promise of “America First” with deep isolationist strains, the first major overseas trip of President Donald Trump’s second term signaled he may be emerging as more of a globalist.

The ramped up strikes began just hours after the Trump administration brokered the release on Monday of Edan Alexander in direct talks with Hamas.