Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday offered a unique perspective on the Gaza Strip, describing it as a "beautiful piece of property" while outlining his administration's ambitious vision for rebuilding the war-torn Palestinian enclave. Speaking at the Board of Peace ceremony during the sidelines of the Davos World Economic Forum, Trump revealed his real estate mindset as central to his reconstruction plans.
Trump's Real Estate Approach to Gaza Reconstruction
During his address, Trump emphasized that location serves as the foundation of his reconstruction strategy for Gaza. "I'm a real estate person at heart, and it's all about location," Trump declared. "And I said, Look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property. What it could be for so many people. It'll be so so great."
The former president painted a vivid picture of Gaza's potential, stating: "People are going to be living so well. But it all began with a location – that's the vision. They look out on the waters. And very few people are – very few places are like it."
International Support and Ceasefire Confidence
Trump highlighted significant international backing for his peace initiative, noting that 59 countries are participating in efforts aimed at securing peace in the Middle East. He expressed cautious optimism about Hamas' compliance with the ceasefire agreement, remarking: "If Hamas doesn't do what they promised they will do – I think they probably will – but they were born with rifles in their hands."
The former president referenced last year's ceasefire he brokered between Israel and Hamas, which facilitated the release of Israeli hostages and brought a fragile calm to Gaza. However, he acknowledged that violence and humanitarian challenges persist in the region, with reports of Israeli fire, aid restrictions, food insecurity, flash floods, and child deaths due to hypothermia continuing to emerge.
Board of Peace and Broader Middle East Vision
At the Davos event, Trump formally signed the charter of the "Board of Peace," claiming that "everybody" wanted to participate in the initiative and that it was "running beautifully." He framed Gaza's redevelopment as part of a comprehensive vision for the Middle East, hinting at potential future US initiatives in Lebanon and other conflict zones.
Trump described the ceasefire as a significant achievement for both Israel and the international community, asserting that the United States has successfully maintained the Gaza ceasefire while delivering record levels of humanitarian aid to the region.
Kushner's 'New Gaza' Blueprint
Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner also addressed the gathering, presenting a detailed blueprint for Gaza's redevelopment under the Board of Peace framework. Kushner identified security and investment as top priorities, stating: "The number one thing is going to be security – obviously we're working very closely with the Israelis to figure out a way to de-escalate, and the next phase is working with Hamas on demilitarization."
Kushner emphasized the critical relationship between security and economic development, noting: "Without security, nobody's going to make investments, nobody's gonna come build there. We need investments in order to start giving jobs."
Visualizing a Transformed Gaza
Using detailed slides and visual presentations, Kushner showcased a futuristic vision of a "New Gaza" featuring modern coastal high-rises, tourism zones, and plans for constructing 100,000 housing units in Rafah. "New Gaza, it could be a hope, it could be a destination," Kushner proclaimed. "We've made several impossible things happen just in Gaza today, and there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to make even more impossible things happen."
Challenges of Sustainable Peace
Kushner acknowledged the complex challenges involved in transforming ceasefire agreements into lasting peace, explaining: "As you guys know, peace is a different deal than a business deal, because you're changing a mindset. We needed to think about what do we do next, how do we change the habits, how do we change the behaviors?"
The adviser revealed that the US-backed plan would employ "free market principles" to reduce Gaza's dependence on foreign aid. He concluded with a call for international collaboration, urging nations to "just calm down for 30 days... Let's do our best to try working together. Our goal here is peace between Israel and the Palestinian people."
The presentations at Davos represent the most detailed public articulation of the Trump administration's vision for Gaza's future, blending real estate development principles with diplomatic strategy while acknowledging the significant humanitarian and security challenges that continue to plague the region.
