Trump's Peace Council Presented Gaza Plan: Dismantling Hamas and Billions in Reconstruction

Senior members of the Peace Council established by U.S. President Donald Trump presented in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly proceedings, a plan for the next phase in the Gaza Strip including dismantling Hamas, new Palestinian governance and security mechanisms, international peacekeeping forces and investment of billions of dollars in reconstruction.

About 35 countries and international organizations participated in the meeting. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a member of the Executive Board of the Council, focused on the need to establish a new governance and economic system that would allow the Strip to function without Hamas. According to him, the goal is to build 'Gaza not as it was, but as it should be.'

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor and one of the architects of the plan, presented the economic and reconstruction component. The first phase, planned for six months, includes 66 projects at a cost of about 2.45 billion dollars. The plan includes about 400 million dollars for temporary housing for displaced people, as well as reconstruction of hospitals, roads, water and electricity systems and debris removal.

Major General Jasper Jeffers, commander of the international peacekeeping force, presented the security plan, to which about 885 million dollars is designated for security. About 275 million dollars will be invested in establishing a fortified compound in Rafah that could hold 5,000 international force personnel, 120 million dollars are intended for operating a new Palestinian police force and about 20 million dollars for a weapons collection and acquisition program. According to the plan, a gradual Israeli withdrawal will take place parallel to Hamas dismantling and entry of the new security mechanisms.

Nikolai Mladenov, the Peace Council's senior representative for Gaza, warned that the current phase is the real test of the move. According to him, Hamas dismantling, Israeli withdrawal, entry of the new Palestinian administration and reconstruction must advance in a coordinated manner.