In brief
The US has revealed a grand blueprint for a 'New Gaza', aimed at transforming the war-torn region into a thriving urban area with skyscrapers and new infrastructure. The plan was presented by President Trump's new Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, highlighting a phased development strategy to support the 2.1 million residents amidst ongoing conflict with Hamas. The initiative includes a focus on residential, agricultural, and industrial development, alongside a commitment to demilitarization. The announcement comes in the context of a fragile ceasefire, with recent reports of continued hostilities and humanitarian crises in the region.
The US has unveiled its plans for a New Gaza that would see the devastated Palestinian territory rebuilt from scratch.
Slides showed dozens of skyscrapers stretching along the Mediterranean coast and housing estates in the Rafah area, while a map outlining the phased development of new residential, agricultural, and industrial areas for the 2.1 million population.
They were presented during a signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos for President Donald Trump's new Board of Peace, which is tasked with ending the two-year war between Israel and Hamas and overseeing reconstruction.
We're going to be very successful in Gaza. It's going to be a great thing to watch, Trump declared.
I'm a real estate person at heart and it's all about location. And I said: 'Look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property. What it could be for so many people.'
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who helped broker the ceasefire that took effect in October, said 90,000 tonnes of munitions had been dropped on Gaza and there were 60 million tonnes of rubble to clear.
A map of the US Master Plan showed a zone reserved for coastal tourism, where there would be 180 tower-blocks as well as a number of zones for residential areas, industrial complex, data centres, advanced manufacturing and parks, agriculture and sports facilities.
Redevelopment would be divided into four phases, starting in Rafah and then gradually moving north towards Gaza City.
Kushner also declared that the demilitarisation of Gaza was starting now, noting that without security nobody is going to make investments.
Hamas has previously refused to give up its weapons without the creation of an independent Palestinian state. But Trump warned the group: They have to give up their weapons and if they don't do that, it's going to be the end of them.
Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with almost 1 million people lacking adequate shelter and 1.6 million facing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the UN.
While numerous plans have been proposed to rebuild Gaza, Trump's vision aims to create a viable and sustainable environment post-conflict, amid skepticism from various stakeholders.
