Does the US Eye Gaza as a Military Base?

As the Israel-Gaza conflict rages into its third year, whispers of U.S. ambitions in the devastated Strip have ignited global debate: Does America covet Gaza as its next military outpost? From Trump’s leaked “Riviera” redevelopment blueprint to the U.S.’s sixth UN veto on a ceasefire just days ago, the optics scream complicity. On September 12, 2025, 142 nations backed a UN resolution for a Hamas-free Palestinian state—yet the U.S. and Israel stood alone in opposition, joined by a handful of allies. Amid UN accusations of Israeli genocide and Bernie Sanders’ bold condemnation, questions swirl: Why the unyielding U.S. support? Is Washington pulling strings for 65,000 deaths? And does Trump truly see Gaza’s rubble as “valuable land” ripe for profit?

Gaza as U.S. Military Base:

The notion of a U.S. base in Gaza evokes Cold War echoes—permanent outposts to project power. But does America crave this scorched 141-square-mile enclave? Possibilities abound, yet evidence is scant amid the fog of war.

Strategic Angle: Containing Iran and Securing the Levant Gaza’s Mediterranean perch could anchor U.S. ops against Iran’s proxies, from Hezbollah to Houthis. With 40,000-50,000 U.S. troops already in the Middle East (CFR June 2025), a Gaza foothold might deter Tehran’s axis, especially post-Israel’s June 2025 Iran strikes. Al Jazeera’s June mapping highlights U.S. bases in Qatar (Al Udeid, largest in region) and Jordan, but Gaza’s proximity to Egypt’s Suez Canal—vital for 12% of global trade—makes it a chokepoint prize. Analysts speculate a “post-Hamas” U.S. presence via Israeli control, akin to post-2003 Iraq plans. Yet, NPR’s July 2025 briefing notes no Gaza-specific expansions; U.S. focus remains on existing hubs amid Trump’s “America First” drawdown.

Economic Lure: Gas Fields and Reconstruction Goldmine Gaza’s offshore Leviathan-like gas reserves (estimated $500B) tempt energy-hungry Washington. A base could secure extraction, funneling royalties to U.S. firms like ExxonMobil, already eyeing Levant Basin fields. Trump’s September 1, 2025, “Gaza Riviera” leak envisions U.S.-led redevelopment boosting value by $324B, per CNBC—hotels, ports, tech hubs on “waterfront property.” Jared Kushner’s 2024 quip on Gaza’s “valuable” shores fuels this, but Reuters February 2025 reports no formal bids; sanctions and instability deter.

Political Realities: Unlikely Amid Backlash Domestic pushback—protests, Biden-era isolationism—makes a base toxic. Wikipedia’s 2025 Gaza offensive entry notes U.S. arms flow ($20B+ since October 2023) but no troop commitments. X posts from September 16 buzz with Qatar strike fallout, where Israel’s Doha hit (home to U.S. base) sparked Arab summits condemning Tel Aviv—highlighting risks of overreach. IISS September 9 analysis: U.S. prefers proxy support over boots-on-ground quagmires.

In sum, possibilities tantalize—strategic bulwark, energy jackpot—but 2025 realities (vetoes, UN scorn) suggest Gaza’s more a U.S.-backed Israeli buffer than American enclave.

Why Won’t America Push for a Gaza Ceasefire?

The U.S.’s ironclad Israel support baffles 41 nations (and counting) demanding peace. On September 18, 2025, Ambassador Dorothy Shea vetoed a UNSC resolution for an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire” and hostage release— the sixth such block since 2023 (Reuters). Why the stonewall?

Hostage Leverage: Hamas’s Ace Card Washington ties ceasefire to freeing 100+ hostages (IDF October 2023 data). PBS September 18 reports U.S. insistence on “dignified release” first, fearing Hamas’s intransigence emboldens Tehran. BBC’s live coverage: Veto ensures “no rewards for terror,” echoing Trump’s May 2025 Qatar talks where he conditioned aid on releases.

Domestic Politics: AIPAC Grip and Election Calculus With midterms looming, Biden (or Harris proxy) courts pro-Israel donors; AIPAC spent $100M+ in 2024 cycles (OpenSecrets). Al Jazeera September 18: Veto shields from “weak on terror” attacks, especially post-Doha strike outrage. Euronews notes Trump’s base—evangelicals eyeing biblical prophecies—amplifies this; his February 2025 “clean out Gaza” rhetoric polls at 55% GOP approval (Pew).

Geopolitical Calculus: Israel’s Buffer Against Chaos Gaza’s war deters Iran; U.S. views Hamas eradication as regional stabilizer. UN News September 16: Despite “cataclysmic” Gaza City advances (Israeli tanks per Reuters September 16), Washington supplies $3.8B annual aid, framing veto as “balanced” (hostage-ceasefire link). Yahoo September 18: Critics call it enabling “scorched-earth,” but U.S. prioritizes Abraham Accords expansion over Palestinian pleas.

Bottom line: Ceasefire aversion blends humanitarian blind spots with hard-nosed realpolitik—no end until Hamas folds.

UN Verdict vs. Arms Pipeline

Gaza’s toll: 41,000+ dead (Gaza Health Ministry September 2025), but whispers of 65,000+ uncounted (Lancet estimate). A September 16 UN commission’s bombshell—”Israel committing genocide”—marks the “strongest” indictment yet (BBC). But U.S. “orders”? Evidence points to enablement, not dictation.

UN’s Damning Dossier: Acts of Destruction The probe, per UN News, cites four Genocide Convention acts: killings, harm, life conditions destruction, birth prevention. CNN September 16: Evidence includes 80% infrastructure razed, famine risks for 2.2M. Sanders September 17: First U.S. senator to label it “genocide,” slamming “indiscriminate bombing.” PBS: Israeli envoy retorts “war ends when Gaza’s Hamas-free.”

U.S. Complicity: Arms, Not Directives No “orders” docs surface—Wikipedia’s U.S. support page logs $20B munitions since 2023, including 2,000-lb bombs used in Rafah (HRW May 2025). NYT September 16: Trump threatens “crackdown” on UN critics, but State Dept. denies directing ops. Guardian September 17: Sanders flak for term avoidance underscores divide—Biden calls it “tragic,” not genocidal.

Counterarguments: Self-Defense, Not Extermination Israel claims Hamas embeds in civilians; U.S. echoes (Shea UN speech). Security Council Report September 18: Veto protects “Israel’s right to defend.” Yet, HRW May 2025 warns “extermination inching closer” via blockade.

Verdict: U.S. fuels via arms ($3.5B/year), but genocide’s on Israel’s ledger—no smoking gun for “orders.”

Why Do U.S. and Israel Defy the World?

September 12’s UNGA vote: 142 for a “Hamas-free” two-state path (UN Press), 10 against—including U.S., Israel, Argentina, Hungary. (Query’s “41” may nod earlier drafts or abstentions; 12 abstained.) Why the outlier duo?

U.S. Calculus: Shielding Ally, Sidestepping Hamas Reuters September 12: Resolution condemns Hamas but demands Israeli withdrawal—U.S. sees it rewarding terror sans hostage deal. Le Monde: Aligns with Abraham Accords, prioritizing Saudi normalization over Palestinian statehood. Guardian: Veto history (six ceasefires) isolates U.S., but domestic lobbies prevail.

Israel’s Stance: Security Over Sovereignty Against: Fears “Hamas-free” greenlights weak PA rule. YouTube’s Jerusalem Dateline September 12: Netanyahu braces for “statehood trap.” WAFA September 18: Ties to broader veto on ceasefire.

Global Rift: Moral vs. Realpolitik 41+ (broad support) reflect Global South fury; U.S./Israel duo underscores “rules-based order” hypocrisy. Lemonde September 12: 10 dissenters (Micronesia, Nauru et al.) are U.S. allies—echoing Pacific votes.

“Valuable Land” for a U.S. Riviera?

Trump’s 2025 fixation: Gaza as redevelopment jackpot. Conversation September 12 leak: “Extend port from Egypt’s al-Arish, integrate industries”—a $324B value-add via GREAT Trust (CNBC September 1). Reuters February 5: Echoes Kushner’s “beachfront property” (2024 Harvard event), envisioning resorts post-“clean out.”

Possibilities: Profit or Pretext? AJC March 5: Trump floats U.S. “ownership” for control. Guardian February 5: Ties to settler allies, expanding first-term ideas. JVP January 29: “Ethnically cleansed” vision for evangelicals/donors. American Progress February 26: Misreads Arabs, risks escalation.

Critics Cry Foul NYT February 5: Trump family’s ME deals (golf courses) fuel conflict-of-interest. CNBC February 4: Palestinians “relocated” to Jordan/Egypt—ethnic cleansing redux.

Trump’s quip? Valuable? Absolutely—in dollars and dominance. But 2025’s war complicates his blueprint.

Gaza’s Fate in U.S. Crosshairs

No concrete US Gaza military base 2025 plans emerge—strategic lures tempt, but politics preclude. Ceasefire vetoes prioritize Israel over 41,000 lives; genocide claims indict Tel Aviv with U.S. arms as enablers, not architects. The UN vote exposes isolation, while Trump’s “valuable” Gaza fantasies blend real estate with realpolitik. As September 19 dawns with tanks in Gaza City (Reuters), America’s shadow looms: Ally first, humanity second.