Washington DC - President Donald Trump has appeared to soften his plan to take control of war-torn Gaza and displace its more than two million residents to nearby countries, saying he was only recommending the idea.

Trump triggered shock earlier this month when he presented his plan, in which Washington would take over the territory after Israel's assault and rebuild it while pressuring Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Palestinians.

He had also said Palestinians would then have no right to return.

But in an interview Friday, the Republican president conceded that the leaders of Jordan and Egypt had rejected the plan, calling the displacement of Palestinians against their will unjust.

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"I was a little surprised they'd say that, but they did," Trump told Fox News Radio's The Brian Kilmeade Show, adding that the US was paying those countries "billions of dollars a year" in aid.

"The way to do it is my plan. I think that's a plan that really works, but I'm not forcing it," Trump said. "I'm just gonna sit back and recommend it."

Trump's comments came as Arab leaders met in Riyadh on Friday to craft a proposal for Gaza's post-war reconstruction to counter Trump's plan.