Kushner, Witkoff Draft $112B Gaza Plan to Become 'Smart City' With U.S. Backing

A new $112 billion blueprint to rebuild Gaza into a futuristic “smart city” was unveiled by Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and two senior White House aides, with the United States pledging roughly $60 billion in grants and debt guarantees over a decade. The plan, dubbed Project Sunrise, envisions Gaza's coastal strip transformed through phased reconstruction that would introduce luxury hotels, tourism amenities, and a high-speed rail link to connect to broader regional networks. The centerpiece is an AI-optimized smart grid designed to integrate energy generation, water management, and telecommunications into a single, digitized system aimed at increasing resilience in a region long scarred by conflict. The 32-slide PowerPoint circulated by administration officials outlines a governance framework that includes a Chief Digital Office and an innovation lab intended to define standards and guide policy development for the territory’s rehabilitation. The document does not specify which countries or companies would fund or operate the money flowing into Gaza, and it acknowledges the scale of the undertaking would require broad international participation. Officials familiar with the plan emphasize it would take a decade to complete, with construction staged in phases and milestones tied to security conditions on the ground.

Proponents say the project would do more than restore infrastructure; it aims to position Gaza as a catalyst for regional economic integration and technological leadership. The proposal envisions luxury hotels and resort districts, modern cultural venues, and transit corridors designed to attract foreign investment and visitors. A governance layer featuring AI-enabled services and digital policy tools would be embedded in everyday operations, with the aim of delivering smarter municipal services and more transparent administration. The plan also emphasizes the development of a digital office to establish standards and guide decision-making across a rebuilt economy. A key selling point is the potential construction of a high-tech corridor along the coast that could link Gaza with neighboring markets and serve as a proving ground for smart-city technologies. The accompanying visuals, described in internal briefing materials, portray a skyline of skyscraper-like districts and gleaming transportation hubs that would mark a dramatic departure from the current landscape.

Development of the plan has been rapid; officials say it was assembled within roughly 45 days by Kushner, Witkoff, and two senior White House aides, with Israeli security experts consulted on feasibility and risk. In recent days, Witkoff traveled to Miami to meet with high-level delegations from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar to discuss the second phase of the Gaza cease-fire plan and how the Sunrise project might dovetail with stabilization efforts. The presentation details a phased reconstruction but does not provide specifics on housing the roughly 2 million Palestinians who would be displaced during the ambitious construction program. It also notes there is an estimated 68 million tons of rubble in Gaza after years of conflict, underscoring the scale of the undertaking. The plan has drawn skepticism from some U.S. officials aware of the proposal, who say its realization would likely hinge on Hamas agreeing to disarm and on the broader political and security climate. The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration’s team signaled considerable caution about funding flows and governance once built, given the volatile regional dynamics. The plan does not spell out which investor nations or private-sector players would participate, leaving the financing, governance, and accountability framework to be determined by future negotiations and international partnerships.

Analysts and observers caution that even with a robust funding commitment, moving from blueprint to reality would require addressing humanitarian needs, security assurances, and political legitimacy. The plan’s long arc depends on broader conflict resolution, credible disarmament steps, and a consensus among regional powers that Gaza’s redevelopment would advance regional stability rather than exacerbate tensions. Critics also question whether a luxury-development model can be reconciled with the urgent needs of millions of Palestinians living under blockade and in densely populated areas where displacement would be a grim consequence of large-scale construction. The Journal’s reporting indicates the administration views Sunrise as an aspirational framework rather than an immediate implementation plan, and it notes that multiple conditions would have to be met before financing could mobilize on a meaningful scale. The administration has characterized the proposal as a demonstration of a potential pathway to prosperity in the Middle East, while acknowledging real-world hurdles remain.

The latest discussions, including the Miami talks, signal that the Sunrise blueprint is being treated as a potential component of broader cease-fire and normalization efforts rather than a stand-alone project. Yet the absence of a concrete funding mechanism, the lack of clarity on who would invest, and the unresolved question of Palestinian displacement keep the plan in the realm of high-stakes diplomacy and long-range planning. As Gaza remains a focal point of regional rivalries and humanitarian concern, officials and analysts say the project underscores the evolving idea of reconstruction as a political instrument—one that could yield economic and strategic benefits if paired with credible security guarantees and a viable pathway to Palestinian self-determination.

Ultimately, the fate of Project Sunrise will hinge on whether the international community views it as a deliverable that can coexist with the immediate needs and rights of Gaza’s residents, and whether leaders in Jerusalem, Cairo, Doha, Ankara, and other capitals can align on a framework that reconciles development aspirations with the region’s enduring security challenges. For now, the plan remains a high-profile blueprint that highlights the United States’ willingness to pursue an ambitious, long-range vision for Gaza, even as questions about feasibility, governance, and humanitarian impact persist. The coming months are likely to determine whether Sunrise moves from concept to concrete projects, or remains a symbol of a controversial approach to post-conflict reconstruction.