Jared Kushner, the former senior adviser to ex-US President Donald Trump, is actively promoting an ambitious $112 billion proposal to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, envisioning it as a futuristic centre for technology and tourism. The details of this grand plan, named 'Project Sunrise,' were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Vision: From Ruins to a Coastal Metropolis
Kushner, 44, alongside US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, has been presenting a detailed 32-slide PowerPoint deck to governments across the region, including Turkey, Egypt, and wealthy Gulf states. The presentation, titled 'Project Sunrise: Building a New and Unified Gaza,' paints a picture of a completely transformed Gaza.
The vision includes a gleaming coastal city equipped with high-speed rail networks, artificial intelligence-driven energy grids, and luxury beachfront resorts. The total estimated cost for this decade-long redevelopment is a staggering $112.1 billion.
According to the plan, direct US financial support would cover approximately 20% of the funding. However, with additional loan guarantees and financial backstops, Washington's total exposure could reach nearly $60 billion. The proposal frames Gaza as a future prime investment location and international tourism hotspot.
Significant Political and Practical Hurdles
Despite its glossy presentation, the plan provides few concrete details on critical issues like long-term governance or political arrangements for Gaza. A major point of contention is the fate of Gaza's population. The plan notes that the strip's roughly two million displaced Palestinians would be housed in "temporary shelter, field hospitals and mobile clinics" during reconstruction, but offers no clear pathway for their permanent resettlement.
The White House has declined to comment directly on Kushner's private proposal. Nevertheless, spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that the Trump administration remains committed to "laying the groundwork for a peaceful and prosperous Gaza."
Middle East experts have expressed deep skepticism about the plan's viability. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, emphasized that the project cannot advance without the disarmament of Hamas, a condition he views as highly unlikely. This prerequisite is acknowledged within the presentation itself, which ties the entire vision to a phased peace framework proposed by the Trump administration that requires Hamas to lay down its weapons. Hamas has consistently refused to do so.
Immense Physical and Investor Challenges
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has echoed these concerns, warning that potential investors would be reluctant to commit funds if there is a risk of another war erupting in Gaza within a few years. "You are not going to convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they believe another war is going to happen," Rubio cautioned.
Beyond politics, the physical challenges are monumental. Any reconstruction effort must first address:
- Clearing an estimated 68 million tonnes of debris.
- Removing unexploded ordnance and landmines.
- Recovering the bodies of Palestinians killed in the conflict.
Images from heavily damaged areas like Khan Younis reveal vast neighbourhoods reduced to rubble, underscoring the sheer scale of destruction that any redevelopment must overcome.
Kushner and Witkoff have a history of leveraging private business networks in diplomatic contexts, including during Israel-Hamas negotiations and exploratory talks related to the Russia-Ukraine war. However, whether their ambitious vision for Gaza can move beyond PowerPoint slides and into reality remains a deeply uncertain proposition, contingent on a resolution to the conflict that currently seems distant.
