Donald Trump doubled down on his controversial Gaza takeover plan after members of his administration attempted to soften his proposal.

Senior government figures pushed back on the US president’s plan to resettle two million Palestinians and develop the region into the “Riviera of the Middle East” after it was condemned by world leaders.

Following the announcement on Tuesday during a press conference alongside Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, insisted the president’s relocation plan would be “temporary”.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, also clarified Mr Trump’s comments, saying there were no plans to put US “boots on the ground” in Gaza and that Mr Trump wanted Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians “temporarily”.

But on Thursday, Mr Trump reasserted his bold claims, insisting Gaza would be “turned over” to the US and the territory and Palestinians would be “resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes”.