On September 1, 2025, controversy erupted after The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is considering a sweeping postwar plan for Gaza. Dubbed the Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust—better known as the GREAT Trust—the proposal envisions a decade-long U.S.-led trusteeship over the war-torn Palestinian territory. But it’s not just the idea of American control that’s sparking debate. At its heart, the plan blends cutting-edge blockchain technology, ambitious mega-projects, and a relocation scheme that could reshape the lives of Gaza’s two million residents.
According to The Washington Post, the 38-page prospectus lays out a vision for Gaza’s future that reads more like a Silicon Valley pitch deck than a traditional diplomatic roadmap. The plan’s centerpiece is the tokenization of Gazan land. Instead of conventional deeds, landowners would receive digital tokens representing fractional ownership of their property. These tokens could be traded on cryptocurrency markets or used to claim an apartment in one of up to eight planned “AI-powered smart cities” or even to start a new life abroad.
Supporters say this innovative approach could attract $100 billion in investment and transform Gaza into a global hub for technology, tourism, and manufacturing. The GREAT Trust imagines a rebuilt territory brimming with ten major projects, from ports and highways to a railway, an AI data center, luxury resort islands modeled after Dubai, and even an “Elon Musk Smart Manufacturing Zone.” The plan claims the value of these developments could quadruple within a decade, generating ongoing profits for investors and, in theory, for the Palestinian people themselves.
But the real flashpoint is the proposal’s relocation scheme. The plan encourages Gaza’s residents to “voluntarily” move abroad or into tightly controlled secure zones during the reconstruction period. Those who choose to leave would be offered $5,000 in cash, four years of rent subsidies, and one year of food aid. The prospectus claims this approach would save $23,000 per person compared to housing them in secure areas, creating a strong financial incentive for relocation. The tokens representing their land could be redeemed for cash or for a future apartment in one of the AI-powered cities.
Trump reportedly discussed these proposals during a White House meeting on Wednesday, reiterating his vision of transforming Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The Washington Post noted that the plan would not require U.S. government funding, instead relying on a blend of public and private investment.
Yet, the plan’s bold promises have been met with a wave of criticism and ethical concerns. Civil rights organizations have been particularly vocal. The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the proposal, stating that the “takeover of Gaza and the mass theft of Palestinian land through a digital token scheme is not only morally abhorrent and illegal under international law—it would amount to a war crime of historic proportions.” According to Coinpedia, critics warn that turning Palestinian land into blockchain assets could strip residents of their rights and sovereignty, leveraging economic pressure to force displacement.
The origins of the plan trace back to individuals involved in the U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been active in distributing food in Gaza. Financial planning for the GREAT Trust, The Washington Post reported, was conducted by a team with experience at the Boston Consulting Group. Two people familiar with the planning told the Post that major elements were designed to implement former President Trump’s vision for Gaza, announced in February 2025.
The technical details are as novel as they are controversial. The proposal pitches the creation of a blockchain registry for land, allowing for transparent and immutable records of ownership. Land would be split into tradable tokens, enabling global investors to buy in and fund reconstruction and humanitarian efforts. The returns, according to the plan, could be reinvested in a new Palestinian Wealth Fund, theoretically benefiting future generations of Gazans. However, the document admits the scheme would be more profitable if a greater number of residents leave the territory.
As for the physical transformation, the plan outlines six to eight “modern and AI-powered, smart planned cities” where all services and economies would run on ID-based, AI-powered digital systems. Alongside the smart cities, the ten mega-projects would include everything from an AI data center to artificial resort islands and a manufacturing zone inspired by Elon Musk’s ventures. The blueprint is unapologetically ambitious, with backers arguing it could place Gaza at the forefront of technological and economic innovation in the region.
But for many in Gaza, no amount of cash or futuristic promises can outweigh the emotional and cultural ties to their homeland. As reported by Coinpedia and other outlets, numerous Gazans have said that no offer of money or housing could convince them to leave. The sense of belonging and historical connection to the land runs deep, and the idea of trading that for a digital token—no matter how valuable—strikes many as unthinkable.
The international community remains sharply divided. Some see the GREAT Trust as a bold, perhaps necessary, experiment in rebuilding a region long plagued by conflict and poverty. Others view it as a dangerous precedent, one that could undermine basic human rights and set the stage for further dispossession. The plan’s reliance on voluntary relocation is particularly contentious, with critics arguing that economic incentives in a context of devastation and displacement can hardly be considered truly voluntary.
Adding fuel to the fire is the plan’s explicit alignment with Trump’s stated goal of making Gaza the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The phrase, while evocative, has become a lightning rod for those who see the proposal as prioritizing investor profits and geopolitical ambitions over the needs and wishes of Gaza’s residents. The fact that the plan sidesteps direct U.S. government funding and leans heavily on private capital only deepens concerns about accountability and long-term stability.
As the debate rages, one thing is clear: the GREAT Trust proposal has thrust the future of Gaza into the global spotlight, raising profound questions about the intersection of technology, ethics, and geopolitics. Whether it will ever move beyond the prospectus stage remains to be seen, but its impact on the discourse around postwar reconstruction and Palestinian rights is already undeniable.
For now, Gaza’s fate hangs in the balance, caught between visions of digital transformation and the enduring realities of land, identity, and justice.