The Trump administration is formulating a broad economic and strategic plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the name “Project Sunrise,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
The initiative, developed by a team led by the US President Donald Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, aims to transform Gaza from ruins into a thriving tourism and business metropolis.
It is estimated that the project will cost a total of $112.1 billion over the course of a decade.
The project is divided into four phases spanning more than 20 years, and is planned to begin in the southern part of the Strip (Rafah and Khan Yunis) before progressing northward toward Gaza City.
The proposal states in bold terms, "Reconstruction plan contingent on comprehensive compliance by Hamas to demilitarize and decommission all weapons and tunnels."
In August, an earlier version of the plan circulating within the Trump administration outlined a sweeping vision for the Gaza Strip, potentially placing the enclave under US trusteeship for at least a decade. The plan, reported by the Washington Post, would relocate Gaza’s population during reconstruction and transform the area into a hub of tourism, high-tech manufacturing, and smart cities.
The 38-page proposal, titled the Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust (GREAT Trust), suggests relocating Gaza’s more than two million residents, either to third countries or into secure zones within the enclave. Palestinians who own land would be issued digital tokens by the Trust, which could be redeemed for future housing or used to support resettlement elsewhere.
Departing residents would receive $5,000 in cash and subsidies covering four years of rent and one year of food. The plan estimates a cost saving of $23,000 per person for those who leave compared to those who stay in secure zones.
According to the Washington Post, the initiative draws from individuals involved in the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and was financially modeled by a Boston Consulting Group team. BCG later said the work was not officially approved and dismissed two senior partners involved.
The GREAT Trust proposes funding through public-private investment, aiming for a fourfold return on a $100 billion investment within a decade. Unlike the GHF, the Trust would rely on "mega-projects" rather than donations, with planned developments including electric vehicle plants, beach resorts, and smart cities.