In a move that has sparked intense debate across international and political circles, a detailed postwar blueprint for Gaza—known as the Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration, and Transformation Trust, or GREAT Trust—has surfaced within the Trump administration, promising a dramatic transformation of the war-torn enclave. The plan, first reported by The Washington Post on August 31, 2025, outlines a decade-long trusteeship under U.S. administration, aiming to remake Gaza into a glittering tourism destination and a high-tech manufacturing hub.
The 38-page proposal, which has been circulating among senior Trump officials, envisions a future where Gaza is administered by the United States for at least 10 years. During this period, the enclave would undergo a sweeping reconstruction, morphing from rubble and devastation into what some in the administration have dubbed the "Riviera of the Middle East." According to The Washington Post, the plan was crafted by Israeli entrepreneurs with ties to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which currently distributes food in the enclave, with financial modeling provided by a team from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Central to the GREAT Trust plan is the at least temporary relocation of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents. The proposal describes two options: "voluntary" departures to third countries or movement into secured, restricted zones within Gaza itself during the reconstruction phase. For those who own land, the trust would issue digital tokens in exchange for redevelopment rights. These tokens could be used to finance a new life abroad or eventually redeemed for an apartment in one of six to eight planned "AI-powered, smart cities" to be built within Gaza.
The plan offers a financial package to each Palestinian who chooses to leave: a $5,000 cash payment, subsidies for four years of rent elsewhere, and one year of food support. The trust calculates that each individual departure would save $23,000 compared to the cost of providing temporary housing and "life support" services in the secure zones for those who stay. The proposal estimates that these incentives, combined with the redevelopment strategy, would reduce costs and streamline the reconstruction process.
Unlike many previous humanitarian efforts in Gaza, the GREAT Trust plan does not rely on U.S. government funding or philanthropic donations. Instead, it seeks to attract public and private investment in "mega-projects"—from electric vehicle factories and data centers to luxury beach resorts and high-rise apartment complexes. The financial projections are ambitious: a nearly fourfold return on a $100 billion investment over 10 years, with ongoing "self-generating" revenue streams from the new infrastructure and businesses.
On August 27, 2025, President Trump convened a high-level White House meeting to discuss the future of Gaza and strategies to end the ongoing war, now approaching its two-year mark. The gathering brought together Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner—who played a pivotal role in the administration’s earlier Middle East initiatives. No official readout was released, but Witkoff told reporters the night before that the administration had "a very comprehensive plan." It remains unclear whether the GREAT Trust proposal is the administration’s chosen path, but sources familiar with the planning say major elements were specifically designed to realize Trump’s vision.
President Trump himself has been vocal about his intentions for Gaza. During his 2024 election campaign and subsequent public appearances, he repeatedly expressed a desire to "take over" the territory and rebuild it. "I looked at a picture of Gaza, it’s like a massive demolition site," Trump told reporters after his inauguration. "It’s got to be rebuilt in a different way. Gaza is a phenomenal location…on the sea, the best weather. Everything’s good. Some beautiful things can be done with it." At a White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump declared, "The US will take over the Gaza Strip," describing a "long-term ownership position" and adding, "The Riviera of the Middle East, this could be something that could be so magnificent."
Netanyahu, standing alongside Trump, called it a "bold vision" and affirmed that Israel and the United States shared a "common strategy." However, the specifics of governance and the fate of Gaza’s population remain deeply contentious. When questioned about whether Palestinians could return after reconstruction, Trump replied, "No, they wouldn’t, because they’re going to have much better housing elsewhere." These remarks were quickly walked back by Secretary Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who emphasized that any relocation would be temporary and voluntary.
The context for these sweeping plans is a humanitarian catastrophe of staggering proportions. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel—killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages—has since devastated Gaza. Israel’s military response has displaced hundreds of thousands, killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, and left nearly half a million facing what global crisis monitors describe as catastrophic hunger. As of August 2025, Israel claims control over 75 percent of the enclave and has approved a new offensive to take the rest.
Competing visions for Gaza’s future have emerged from various quarters. Early in the conflict, Israeli proposals floated the idea of Hamas-free zones under military protection, while the Biden administration, just before leaving office, suggested an interim UN administration with security provided by vetted Palestinians and international partners. Arab states, including Egypt and the UAE, have advocated for a technocratic government in Gaza, backed by Gulf funding and possibly Arab peacekeepers. Yet both Israel and the U.S.—the only countries to publicly discuss even temporary relocation of Gazans—have rejected the Arab proposal.
The GREAT Trust plan draws inspiration from historical precedents such as U.S. trusteeships in the Pacific after World War II and postwar reconstruction efforts in Japan and Germany. Its legal justification leans on the doctrine of uti possidetis juris and the administrative powers granted to Israel under the Oslo Accords. However, the idea of a U.S.-led trusteeship for Gaza, especially one that involves the relocation of its population, has met with widespread criticism from Arab governments, legal experts, and Palestinian residents themselves. Adil Haque, a law professor at Rutgers, warned that preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes or failing to provide adequate support would be unlawful, regardless of cash incentives.
Abu Mohamed, a 55-year-old father living in a partially destroyed house in Khan Younis, voiced the sentiments of many Gazans: "I refuse to be made to go to another country, Muslim or not. This is my homeland." According to The Washington Post, the scale of destruction and the political uncertainty make any reconstruction plan a monumental challenge. Yousef Munayyer, a senior fellow at the Arab Centre in Washington, summed up the dilemma: "The urgency is extreme. The scale of the reconstruction project is extreme. And the political question is as unclear as ever."
As the world watches and debates, the future of Gaza remains uncertain, caught between visions of high-tech prosperity and the grim realities of displacement, hunger, and political deadlock. The GREAT Trust plan may be the boldest proposal yet, but whether it will ever come to fruition—or deliver on its promises—remains to be seen.