On Jan. 22, 2026, Jared Kushner revealed the redevelopment plan for the Gaza Strip to build permanent housing, schools, religious centers, and medical facilities, according to USA Today.
The plan we unveiled at the Board of Peace meeting in Davos, an international organization President Donald J. Trump established this month. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law said, “It could be a hope. It could be a destination. (It could) have a lot of industry and really be a place that the people there can thrice, have great employment.”
Why the Gaza Strip?
The Gaza Strip is 141 square miles and one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The populations consists mostly of Palestinian refugees. Gaza residents have long struggled under Hamas leadership. Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2006 and has continued in conflict with Israel.
By 2024, the Israel-Hamas war created an economic collapse and 2.3 million residents found themselves impoverished, according to the United Nations. Another U.N. report revealed 91 percent of the population of Gaza was experiencing “crisis-level food insecurity.”
Kushner’s Redevelopment Plan
The presentation Kushner gave showed master plans for a version of the area with Gaza City in the north and Rafah in the south. Plans included skyscrapers and tourist attractions along the Mediterranean coast.
Kushner said, “We want to use free market economy principles. A lot of what President Trump spoke about that he’s doing in America – we want to bring the same kind of mindset, the same approach to a place like Gaza to give these people the ability to thrive.”
It is believed by the Administration the employment rate in Gaza can be increased to 100 percent. In 2024, the unemployment rate was 80 percent, according to the International Labour Organization.
Private investors will not be interested in the redevelopment plan until the region is secure, according to Kushner who praised the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. The Committee is governing the area under a negotiated peace plan supervised by the Board of Peace.
During his postwar Gaza presentation at the World Economic Forum, Kushner stated, “We have a masterplan … There is no Plan B.” If the plan failed, he would blame Hamas. “If Hamas does not demilitarize, that will be what holds back the people of Gaza from achieving their aspirations.”
Key Points in Redevelopment Plan
There will be a zone for “coastal tourism” that runs along the seafront with 180 skyscraper hotels, according to CNN. A port was at the southwestern end alongside the border with Egypt. Immediately inland from the port the map showed zoning for an airport. A few miles south of this location there is the site of a previous airport destroyed by Israeli attacks more than 20 years ago.
There will be two new urban developments: New Gaza and New Rafah. New Rafah will host 100,000 permanent housing units, 200 schools and more than 75 medical facilities. Kushner expressed his hope the construction would be completed in two years. “Work has already begun to remove the rubble.”
New Gaza will the “center of industry” with “100% full employment,” stated Kushner. His computer-generated imagery revealed a metropolis resembling cities like Dubai and Doha in the Persian Gulf. It featured waterside accommodations and office locations, reported CNN. The presentation lacked details concerning the realization of the project. More than 80 percent of the buildings in Gaza are damaged or destroyed from two years of bombardment from Israel in response to the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Who Will Pay for the Redevelopment?
Kushner says governments with make the first round of contributions and there will be announcements made at an upcoming conference in Washington. He did appeal to the private sector encouraging people to come forward due to the “amazing investment opportunities.”
“I know it’s a little risky to be investing in a place like this, but we need you to come, take faith, invest in the people,” he said.
By Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Al Jazeera: ‘Imperial’ agenda: What’s Trump’s Gaza development plan, unveiled in Davos?
USA Today: Trump’s son-in-law unveils Gaza development plan with skyscrapers
CNN: 180 skyscrapers for Gaza: Trump’s son-in-law Kushner unveils ‘masterplan’ for enclave’s reconstruction
Featured Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
