Kushner, Witkoff Propose $112B Gaza Rebuild

The Trump administration is pitching a plan to transform war-torn Gaza into a beachfront destination complete with resorts and penthouses.

Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, drafted a proposal for the transformation of Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported. Dubbed “Project Sunrise,” the reporting of the “sensitive but unclassified” plan ups the ante in the fight over Gaza’s future.

The price tag of such a vision is enormous. The proposal puts the estimated cost at $112.1 billion over 10 years. The U.S. would be the financing “anchor,” supporting almost $60 billion in grants and guarantees on debt. Gaza would be expected to self-finance after a period of time.

Before construction could begin, destroyed buildings and unexploded bombs would need to be removed, while temporary shelter would need to be provided for Palestinians. Afterwards, work on permanent housing and critical structures could begin. The final step would be beachfront luxury resorts.

The first work would be done in Rafah, where there are plans for 100,000 housing units, at least 200 schools, more than 75 medical facilities and 180 mosques and cultural centers. Gaza City would be part of the last phase of construction.

The U.S. presented the project to other countries, including Egypt, Turkey and wealthy Gulf nations. Kushner and Witkoff were part of a recent meeting with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar regarding Gaza.

The plan is easy to doubt. For starters, the proposal is contingent on Hamas disarming, which it has shown no intention of doing. Second, convincing other countries to finance even a portion of the astronomical costs will be no easy feat.

“They can make all the slides they want,” said Steven Cook, a senior fellow for the Middle East with the Council on Foreign Relations. “No one in Israel thinks they will move beyond the current situation and everyone is okay with that.”

Since the war in Gaza began with a Hamas-led attack and kidnapping of hostages in October 2023, tens of thousands have been killed, mostly Palestinians. A fragile ceasefire has been in effect since this October, a third attempt to stop the fighting.

— Holden Walter-Warner