US President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a post-war Gaza plan under which the US would oversee the enclave for at least a decade, relocate its residents, and redevelop the area into a tourist destination and manufacturing hub, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.
The proposal is named the “Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration, and Transformation Trust (GREAT Trust) and was drafted by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The GHF works with the Israeli forces and private US security and logistics firms to deliver food into the beseiged Gaza Strip. GHF is backed by both the Trump administration and Israel and is preferred over the UN-led system that Israel claims allows militants to divert supplies, as per Reuters.
The proposed plan
As per a 38-page prospectus, Gaza’s 2 million residents would be required to leave temporarily, either through “voluntary” relocation abroad or by moving into designated restricted zones within the territory during reconstruction, reported the Post.
The landowners would reportedly receive “digital tokens” granting rights to redevelop their property, while Palestinians who left would be given $5,000 in cash, rent subsidies for four years, and food support for one year.
The report noted that financial planning for the project was handled by a team from the Boston Consulting Group.
Under the administration’s vision, Gaza would be redeveloped into a tourist resort as well as a hub for high-tech manufacturing and technology. Two sources who are familiar with the planning said that the key aspects of the proposal were curated to realize Trump’s vision of a “Rivera of the Middle East.”
Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed confidence that the war in Gaza could be resolved in four months.
"We're going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year," he said in an interview with Fox News last week.
When asked about a “post-war plan” in the war-battered Gaza Strip, Witkoff said, "It's a very comprehensive plan we're putting together on the next day that I think many people are going to... see how robust it is and how it's how well meaning it is, and it reflects President Trump's humanitarian motives here."
A proposal to establish large-scale camps, called "Humanitarian Transit Areas," within Gaza, and potentially outside, to accommodate the Palestinian population, was previously reported on by Reuters.
No Arab state has so far agreed to take part in governing Gaza after the war. The Israeli army says it currently controls roughly 75 percent of Gaza, though most of the territory’s 2 million residents have been displaced repeatedly over the past 22 months.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, the Israeli government has approved 3,400 settlement homes in a project that finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, a hard-line coalition partner, described as proof that the “idea of a Palestinian state is being erased from the table.”
At TOI World Desk, our dedicated team of seasoned journalists and...
Read MoreAt TOI World Desk, our dedicated team of seasoned journalists and passionate writers tirelessly sifts through the vast tapestry of global events to bring you the latest news and diverse perspectives round the clock. With an unwavering commitment to accuracy, depth, and timeliness, we strive to keep you informed about the ever-evolving world, delivering a nuanced understanding of international affairs to our readers. Join us on a journey across continents as we unravel the stories that shape our interconnected world.
Read Less