The master plan unveiled by Jared Kushner at Davos proposes a near‑complete rebuild of Gaza with towers, resorts, data centres and an airport but was developed without Palestinian consultation. Critics say the scheme would erase large parts of Gaza’s urban fabric, historic sites and refugee camps, and it offers no clear funding, land‑rights framework or interim housing plan for hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Technical experts and analysts also warn the plan is unrealistic and may align with broader displacement agendas.
Inside Kushner’s 'New Gaza' Master Plan: A Post‑War Makeover That Would Erase Much Of Gaza
(Al Jazeera)
At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Jared Kushner — a real estate developer and senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump — unveiled a highly controversial “master plan” for a post‑war Gaza. The proposal, presented with AI renders and a colour‑coded map, promises a near‑complete rebuild featuring residential towers, data centres, seaside resorts, parks, sports facilities and an airport.
US businessman Jared Kushner speaks as a ‘Gaza Timeline’ is displayed on a giant screen at the ‘Board of Peace’ meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 22, 2026 [Mandel Ngan/AFP]
What the Plan Proposes
The plan envisions replacing Gaza’s present urban landscape with large new developments along the coast and reclaimed areas. Kushner described the location as uniquely valuable and insisted there was “no Plan B,” while White House commentary framed the project as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire and a demilitarised, rebuilt Gaza.
(Al Jazeera)
Who Was Consulted — And Who Wasn't
Critics note that Palestinians inside Gaza were not consulted in the plan’s design. Kushner did not identify a funding source and said construction would only begin after Hamas’s full disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The proposal therefore raises urgent practical and political questions about ownership, governance and financing.
(Al Jazeera)
Technical, Humanitarian And Urban Concerns
From an urban‑design and engineering perspective, experts warn the proposal is highly ambitious and in many respects unrealistic. Ali A. Alraouf, a professor of architecture and urbanism, described the vision as the “Vegas‑ification” of Gaza, saying the renderings resemble Dubai or Las Vegas and would create gated, class‑specific enclaves rather than an organic urban fabric that serves the existing population.
Smoke rises over buildings as Israeli air attacks hit the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City, Gaza, October 9, 2023 [Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency]
“This is real estate fantasy rather than urban planning,” Alraouf said, warning that high‑rise construction on terrain reduced to rubble poses major technical challenges.
Some engineers have suggested that the enormous volume of debris could be repurposed to reshape the coastline — effectively reclaiming land from the sea to create the artificial waterfronts and marinas shown in the images.
A view of the Great Omari Mosque, which was damaged by Israeli shelling during the war, where Palestinians perform Friday prayers, in Gaza City, November 21, 2025 [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]
Humanitarian Risks
The plan projects a reconstruction period of two to three years, but it provides no clear strategy for housing the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the fighting during that time. The article reports that more than 80% of buildings in the Gaza Strip were destroyed or damaged since October 2023 and that major hospitals, universities, electricity and water systems, roads and services have been severely damaged.
The sun sets over a heavily damaged area of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on November 7, 2025 [AFP]
Areas Targeted On The Map
When the proposed map is superimposed on pre‑bombardment maps of Gaza, it indicates that many neighbourhoods, refugee camps, historic sites and institutions would be transformed or removed. Areas listed for major change include Shati refugee camp; most of Remal (home to al‑Shifa Hospital and several universities); large parts of al‑Mawasi; Deir el‑Balah and Maghazi refugee camps; most of Jabalia; large parts of Sheikh Radwan; Gaza’s Old City (including the Great Omari Mosque and historic churches); and multiple residential neighbourhoods such as Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoon, Shujayea and Zeitoun.
Tents housing displaced Palestinians stretch across the coastal sands of al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip [Mohamed Soulaimane/Al Jazeera]
Political Questions Left Unanswered
The plan contains few details about property and land rights, the political status of Palestinians in Gaza, or a pathway to Palestinian statehood. Tamer Qarmout, an associate professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that Palestinians have had no voice in the plan and that there is no clarity about ending occupation or Israeli control.
Analyst Sultan Barakat argued the proposal aligns with the strategic needs of Israel’s occupation and warned it could support longer‑term displacement of the Palestinian population.
Casualty And Damage Figures Cited
The article reports that the conflict has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, left thousands missing or presumed dead, and produced an estimated 68 million tonnes of rubble. These numbers are presented as reported figures in the original coverage.
Conclusion
Kushner’s “New Gaza” renders present an optimistic, investor‑style vision for a rebuilt Gaza. But planners, engineers, humanitarian workers and Palestinian voices highlight a long list of technical, social and political challenges: unrealistic timelines, no clear funding or interim housing plan, absence of Palestinian consultation, and unresolved questions about land, rights and governance. The proposal would not simply rebuild Gaza — critics say it would fundamentally reconfigure its geography, demographics and heritage.
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