The American website Axios revealed that more than two-thirds of the Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter to US President Donald Trump urging him to retract his "dangerous" comments in which he suggested that the United States "take over" the Gaza Strip.

Trump's comments drew criticism from lawmakers in both parties, with even some Republicans complaining that they were unworkable and inconsistent with Trump's non-interventionist foreign policy.

Trump said at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that the United States would “take over Gaza,” “own it” and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump doubled down on his insistence on “taking Gaza” this week by saying the Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza, saying of the territory: “I will own it.”

“We are disturbed that an American president would call for the forced removal and permanent displacement of two million people,” the Democrats said in the letter obtained by Axios.

The letter was signed by 145 of the 215 House Democrats, led by Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.).

Such a move, the lawmakers said, would not only be “morally indefensible,” but would damage America’s global standing, put American troops at risk, and lead to increased terrorism.

They said Trump's comments "threaten to jeopardize the United States' opportunity to work with our Arab partners" to rebuild Gaza and find a peaceful end to the conflict with Israel.

On a related note, 10 Senators—Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR)—recently introduced a resolution condemning the potential U.S. takeover of Gaza and blocking its implementation.

More than 350 rabbis and Jewish activists have also signed a declaration attacking US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza.

The ad was published in the New York Times under the title “No to Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza.” The Guardian reported that the signatories of the ad denounced Trump’s plan to cleanse Gaza of its population.

“Trump has called for the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza, and the Jewish people say no to ethnic cleansing!” reads the statement, which was signed by rabbis, as well as Jewish creatives and activists.

The announcement comes after Trump proposed taking control of Gaza and forcing two million Palestinians who survived the brutal Israeli attack that left more than 48,000 dead, most of them women and children, more than 100,000 wounded, most of them also women and children, and more than 14,000 missing, to flee the Strip and to the Sinai Desert and Jordan.

Trump has asked Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries to accept the Palestinians. The plan has been widely criticized by Arab countries and other allies as ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

“It is absolutely appalling to see the degree to which people who are so legitimate and respected in our society are willing to support something that is considered one of the greatest crimes of the 21st century,” said Peter Beinart, president of Jewish Currents magazine, who also signed the declaration.

“Trump seems to believe he is God and has the authority to rule, own and dominate our country and the world,” said Rabbi Yossi Berman, director of the New Synagogue Project in Washington, D.C. “Jewish teaching is clear: Trump is not God and cannot rob Palestinians of their inherent dignity or steal their land for a real estate deal. Trump’s desire to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians is morally repugnant. Jewish leaders reject Trump’s attempts to profit from displacement and suffering and must act to stop this heinous crime.”

Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier over the weekend that he would “own” Gaza and that it would be “a real estate development for the future.” Asked if the Palestinians would have a right to return, Trump said, “No, they won’t.” “In the meantime, I’m going to own that land,” Trump, a former real estate developer, added. “Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It’s going to be a beautiful piece of land. It’s not going to be a lot of money.”