JERUSALEM — Jared Kushner has outlined a sweeping vision for rebuilding Gaza into a modern economic hub, but experts and humanitarian officials warn that the proposal faces formidable obstacles on the ground, from unresolved security issues to massive physical destruction and deep political divisions.
Speaking at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, the former Middle East adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump described a future Gaza filled with high-rise cities, a revitalized Mediterranean coastline, and advanced infrastructure capable of attracting global investment. Kushner argued that with sufficient security guarantees, Gaza could be largely rebuilt within a few years, pointing to rapid urban development elsewhere in the Middle East.
His remarks come as international leaders move forward with plans for a U.S.-backed Board of Peace, a new body intended to oversee both the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the long-term reconstruction of the territory.
A timeline at odds with conditions on the ground
International organizations say Kushner’s timeline sharply contrasts with the reality in Gaza, where more than two years of war have left widespread devastation. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, water and sewage systems are severely damaged, and unexploded ordnance remains buried beneath collapsed buildings.
According to U.N. estimates, Gaza contains more than 60 million tons of debris—enough to fill thousands of cargo ships. Clearing that rubble alone could take more than seven years, followed by extensive demining operations before large-scale construction could safely begin.
Humanitarian agencies also warn that disease and environmental hazards are spreading as families remain displaced, many sheltering in overcrowded coastal areas amid contaminated water supplies.
Security as the central challenge
Kushner emphasized that reconstruction would depend entirely on security, calling it a prerequisite for attracting investors and generating jobs. Yet security remains elusive. Hamas has not disarmed, Israeli military operations continue, and armed groups—some rival to Hamas—are active across the territory.
Under the proposed framework, a U.S.-supported Palestinian body would oversee Gaza during a transitional phase, eventually transferring control to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Hamas has indicated it would dissolve its governing role but has been vague about the future of its weapons and fighters. Israeli leaders, meanwhile, have consistently rejected any postwar role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.
Without a clear and enforceable security arrangement, analysts say the $70 billion estimated cost of reconstruction—calculated jointly by the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank—will remain out of reach.
Unanswered questions about civilians
Critics also note that Kushner’s presentation offered few details about the immediate humanitarian reality facing Gaza’s population of roughly 2 million people. It did not specify where residents would live during years of demolition and rebuilding, or how unexploded munitions would be removed.
The plan envisions new residential zones, industrial parks, data centers, and tourism districts along the coastline—areas that are currently among the most densely populated in Gaza. Initial construction would focus on “workforce housing” in Rafah, a southern city that suffered extensive damage and remains under Israeli control.
Rights groups say progress on rubble removal and demining has been minimal so far, citing restrictions on the entry of heavy equipment into Gaza.
Political resistance and regional skepticism
Legal and policy experts have questioned whether Israel would ever approve a redevelopment plan featuring dense high-rise construction near its border, arguing such structures could raise security concerns. Others say the proposal reflects a real estate-driven approach that overlooks the political roots of the conflict.
Skepticism also surrounds the proposed role of the Palestinian Authority, which faces widespread public distrust due to allegations of corruption and its limited autonomy even in the West Bank.
Taken together, these factors suggest that while Kushner’s vision presents a striking image of what Gaza could become, turning that vision into reality would require breakthroughs on security, governance, and humanitarian access that remain far from resolved.
