Trump’s AI Gaza video elicits mockery from Middle East social media users

The Middle East has reacted with a mix of astonishment and rage to US President Donald Trump posting a video of Gaza made by artificial intelligence. The video follows Trump’s backtracking on his plan to “take over” the Palestinian enclave.

What happened: Trump posted the AI video on his social network, Truth Social, late Tuesday evening. The video starts with scenes of people walking through rubble and bombed-out buildings before the words “What’s next?” appear on the screen.

Children and a woman in a head covering are then shown walking through a tunnel toward pristine beaches. Some of the scenes that follow include billionaire and presidential adviser Elon Musk dancing as paper money falls from the sky, a hotel bearing the name Trump Gaza, and sports cars driving through a narrow street with a high-rise in the background and a gold statue of Trump nearby. The video even includes Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sunbathing by a swimming pool. 

The dance music in the video features lyrics promoting Trump Gaza.

“Trump Gaza shining bright. Golden future, a brand-new light,” the song goes.

Trump expressed his desire for the United States to “take over” and develop the Gaza Strip earlier this month. He later doubled down on the plan, calling on Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians from the enclave. His remarks have been rejected by Palestinian leaders as well as the rulers of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.

Israel occupied Gaza after the 1967 war and withdrew its troops in 2005. The Palestinian militant group Hamas took over Gaza in 2007 and has since had several military confrontations with Israel. The October 2023 war has largely destroyed Gaza and left over 47,000 Palestinians killed, according to local authorities. The United Nations, the European Union and the World Bank estimated in a joint assessment last week that $53.2 billion would be needed for recovery and reconstruction over the next 10 years.

A ceasefire came into effect last month.

Reactions: The video was heavily criticized by Palestinians on social media. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the video “makes a mockery of all serious plans to change & transform Gaza.”

Palestinian American author Samar Jarrah described the video as "cultural and moral decadence."

Palestinian social media influencer Khaled Safi said in a post on X that the video "embodies the mentality of colonizers throughout history."

Trump was similarly slammed by some Arabic media professionals. Algerian presenter Ania El Afandi wrote "who told him it was for sale!" in reference to Trump's plans for Gaza.

London-based Egyptian journalist Osama Gaweesh said in a post on X that “Donald Trump has literally lost his mind," calling the images of money falling from the sky “despicable.”

Israel’s Channel 13 referred to the video as “odd.”

Know more: Trump indicated recently that he may be backing away from his Gaza proposal. He told Fox News on Friday that he was “surprised” by Jordan's and Egypt’s opposition given the large amount of US aid they receive, but he added that he would not “force” the plan.

"The way to do it is my plan. I think that’s the plan that really works. But I’m not forcing it. I’m just going to sit back and recommend it,” he told the outlet.

Rosaleen Caroll in Washington contributed to this story.