His statements reflect the views of his son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, who previously said that coastal real estate in Gaza has “priceless value” and pointed to Gaza’s potential as a luxury tourist resort.
Donald Trump, shortly after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States (U.S.), took the opportunity during a meeting with journalists in the Oval Office to comment on the situation in Gaza and its potential for redevelopment. As cameras captured his first statements after the inauguration, Trump described Gaza as a “phenomenal location” with enormous development potential but called it a “massive ruin” requiring a different approach to reconstruction.
“Gaza is on the sea, it has the best climate, a phenomenal location. Everything is great. I looked at pictures; the place looked like a giant ghost town. But you can do incredible things with it. Fantastic things,” Trump stated, avoiding any direct mention of the U.S. role in post-war reconstruction.
His statements reflect the views of his son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, who previously said that coastal real estate in Gaza has “priceless value” and pointed to Gaza’s potential as a luxury tourist resort. During Trump’s first administration, Kushner led efforts to improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, often offering controversial proposals. One such idea included temporarily relocating Palestinians from Gaza until the territory was “cleared” and prepared for reconstruction, media reports suggest.
Alongside Kushner’s proposals, Trump’s transition team also considered the possibility of temporarily relocating Palestinians to Indonesia until Gaza’s reconstruction was completed – an idea that drew condemnation and confusion. Indonesia later stated it was unaware of such a plan until it read reports in the media.
Trump also expressed doubts about the sustainability of the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. “This isn’t our war, it’s theirs. I’m not sure the ceasefire will hold. I think the opposing side is very weakened,” Trump said, adding that he “cannot imagine” Hamas playing any role in post-war Gaza.
“Those who governed Gaza are either dead or managed the territory in a brutal and poor manner. You cannot have such leadership in the future,” Trump concluded.
In contrast to Trump’s administration, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the final days of Biden’s administration, presented a detailed plan for Gaza’s post-war reconstruction, including international aid, security guarantees, and humanitarian programs. However, it remains unclear whether Trump’s administration will implement any of these proposals or develop its own strategy.
Kushner’s ideas about Gaza, including its development as a luxury tourist center, reflect the broader goal of his policy: improving Israel’s relations with neighboring states while minimizing political and human rights concerns for Palestinians. These statements, along with Trump’s comments on Gaza’s “incredible potential,” have further polarized the international community and provoked outrage among Palestinian leaders.
