Hamas responds to Trump’s AI Gaza video after President lauded gaudy imaginative and prescient of his ‘Riviera of the Middle East’

Hamas has responded to President Donald Trump‘s AI-generated video showing his vision for a rebuilding the Gaza Strip.

The terrorist group, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel ignited the war, has accused Trump of trying to turn Gaza into a ‘big prison’ and criticized him for ‘proposing ideas that do not take into account the cultures and interests of the people’.

‘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,’ Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim told Newsweek.

‘We are not struggling to improve prison conditions, but to get rid of the prison and the jailer.’

The video promoted gaudy scenes of a reimagined Gaza that is reminiscent of the Las Vegas strip, featuring a new Trump hotel and an enormous, shining gold statue of the President.

In what has been branded a ‘grotesque fantasy’ online, billionaire Elon Musk is depicted tossing cash to children while the President sips cocktails with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The imagined glass skyscrapers are a far cry from the real Gaza, where at least half the buildings have been damaged or destroyed.

The video follows Trump’s announcement this month of US plans to take over Gaza and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East, which were widely criticized. 

The White House said: ‘President Trump is a visionary, and his plan to have the US involved in Gaza’s rebuilding will allow for Palestinians to resettle in new, beautiful communities.’

Trump shared the video, entitled Gaza 2025: What’s Next?, online on Tuesday night, showcasing the glamour of what the Gazan coast could look like after the war.

The video highlights a glorious beach resort with ritzy hotels built over what is currently rubble.

A child is seen holding up a large, golden balloon with Trump’s head. A shop inside one of the luxury new buildings sells all-golden miniatures of Trump.

In a strange moment, a group of bearded and long-haired belly dancers perform on the sand as a song made for the clip plays in the background. 

The song’s lyrics go: ‘Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here, Trump Gaza’s shining bright, golden future, a brand new light, feast and dance, the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one.’ 

Towards the end, the marquee of the rebuilt region’s biggest building is seen, declaring it: ‘TRUMP GAZA.’

Finally, Trump and Netanyahu are shown lying on the beach, topless, with a drink in hand.

The video sparked a wave of outrage with social media users accused Trump of having ‘no care for the multitude of innocent lives lost’ during the Israel-Hamas war.

Trump has talked about the US helping redevelop war torn Gaza and turning it into a desirable destination – but has cast doubt over whether Palestinians would be welcomed back to their home after fleeing to surrounding countries amid the conflict. 

Although Trump said Middle East leaders ‘love’ the idea, and that the 1.8 million Gazans he estimated would be relocated to other countries would embrace it, there was evidence that the proposal was not fully cooked when Trump floated it at the press conference alongside Netanyahu. 

‘We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings,’ the President said in the early February press conference. 

Middle East expert Aaron David Miller said the reaction among leaders in the region to Trump’s Gaza plan was one of ‘revulsion’.  

‘The question is whether or not this is Trump disrupting, or is this tethered to an actual strategy,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘And I would argue this is the reflection of a very unserious man. He’s thinking with the opportunistic sensibility of a real estate developer.’ 

Meanwhile, Hamas said Thursday it was ready to negotiate the next phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, after a swap in which it handed over the remains of four hostages in exchange for the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

It was the final such exchange the two sides agreed to as part of a truce that’s set to end this weekend. 

Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more prisoners and a lasting ceasefire, have not yet begun.

The remains were confirmed to be those of Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat, Shlomo Mantzur and Tsachi Idan, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of the captives.

Mantzur, 85, was killed in the October 7 attack and his body was taken into Gaza. The other three were abducted alive and the circumstances surrounding their deaths were not known.

Hamas said in a statement that the ‘only way’ for Israel to secure the release of the remaining hostages was through negotiations and adhering to the agreement. It warned that any attempt to pull back from the truce ‘will only lead to more suffering’ for the captives and their families.

Hamas confirmed that over 600 prisoners had been released overnight.

Israel delayed the release of the prisoners on Saturday over Hamas’ practice of parading hostages before crowds and cameras during their release. Israel, along with the Red Cross and United Nations officials, have called the ceremonies humiliating for the hostages.

Hamas released the four bodies to the Red Cross in Gaza overnight without a public ceremony.

The latest handover was the final one planned under the ceasefire´s first six-week phase, which expires this weekend. Hamas has returned 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has said he wants the sides to move into negotiations on the second phase. Those talks were supposed to begin the first week of February.

Netanyahu has vowed to return all the hostages and destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas, which remains in control of Gaza. The Trump administration has endorsed both goals.

But it’s unclear how Israel would destroy Hamas without resuming the war, and Hamas is unlikely to release the remaining hostages – its main bargaining chips – without a lasting ceasefire.