Does Donald Trump's Gaza taekover plan breach international law?

US President Donald Trump sparked global controversy when he said the US would "take over the Gaza Strip" last week, stating he wished to turn the territory into a "Riviera of the Middle East."

Trump made those remarks during a press conference held alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the latter branding the idea “revolutionary” and “creative”. 

Trump has since doubled down on the idea, despite multiple attempts by members of his administration to walk back his comments. The likelihood Trump will see his plan through is slim, however, but does it have any standing from an international legal perspective?

"If hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly expelled and transferred outside their own territory that would amount to deportation," Olivier Corten, Professor of International Law at the Université de Bruxelles, told Euronews.

When asked what part of the Palestinian population he would want to move out of Gaza, Trump replied "all of them" - a statement in clear breach of international law.

Forcible deportation of a population is a crime against humanity and prohibited by multiple provisions of the Geneva Convention, as well as the International Criminal Court.

"Taking control of one part of a state's territory without the consent or agreement of that state would amount to an occupation. If force is used, it becomes an aggression," added Corten.

Trump's highly controversial remarks come weeks after Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a fragile ceasefire and hostage deal, but what the agreement between the two sides lacked is a clear plan on who will govern Gaza in the future.

The ceasefire deal also does not state when the Israeli blockade on the movement of people and goods will