Kushner’s Gaza Master Plan Draws Sharp Criticism Over Gentrification

The four-phase plan, presented by the former presidential adviser, aims to transform the war-torn territory into a hub of coastal tourism and advanced manufacturing. Proposed infrastructure includes 100,000 permanent housing units, 75 medical facilities, and over 380 vocational and cultural centers. Kushner insisted the project is both viable and immediate, claiming that similar large-scale urban developments in the Middle East can be completed within three years.

However, the proposal has encountered significant condemnation. International lawyer Itay Epshtain dismissed the initiative as a disconnected real estate pitch that ignores legal realities and humanitarian needs. Observers like Hani Mahmoud of Al Jazeera argue the presentation treats Gaza as a speculative investment site while overlooking the ongoing crisis, where over 71,000 people have been killed and 90% of housing units destroyed since 2023. Critics, including entrepreneur David Haddad, characterized the vision as a strategy to finalize displacement through development, noting the absence of Palestinian representation on the newly formed Board of Peace.