'Project Sunrise' envisions high-tech Gaza Strip: Report
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- US-backed proposal would reshape Gaza into a technology-driven city over ten years.
- Plan drafted by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff faces doubts over feasibility and funding.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has put forward a long-term proposal dubbed “Sunrise” aimed at transforming Gaza into a technologically advanced city as part of post-war reconstruction efforts.
A vision of tech-led reconstruction
The plan was prepared by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and US envoy Steve Witkoff. It includes a potential US commitment to cover about 20 percent of Gaza’s reconstruction costs over a 10-year period.
The proposal is laid out in a 32-page PowerPoint presentation featuring images of coastal skyscrapers, charts, and cost tables. It outlines steps to move Gaza’s population from tents into luxury apartments and from poverty to prosperity, the report said.
Costs and unanswered questions
The draft estimates the total cost of the project at USD 112.1 billion over 10 years. Under the plan, the United States would act as the “primary backer”, providing nearly USD 60 billion in grants and debt guarantees across various tracks of the project. Supporters argue this would eventually allow Gaza to finance many projects independently and gradually repay debts as local industry and the broader economy improve.
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However, the Wall Street Journal noted that the presentation does not specify which countries or companies would fund the bulk of the reconstruction. It also fails to clearly define where about two million displaced Palestinians would live during the rebuilding period.
Skepticism inside Washington
Several US officials who reviewed the plan expressed serious doubts about its realism. They questioned whether Hamas would agree to disarm as a precondition for implementation. Even if that hurdle were cleared, officials doubted Washington’s ability to persuade wealthy countries to bankroll the transformation of a devastated post-war environment into a high-tech city.
A White House spokesperson, responding to a request for comment, said Trump continues to monitor Gaza and the peace plan. “The Trump administration will continue working diligently with our partners to establish lasting peace and lay the foundations for a Gaza that enjoys peace and prosperity,” the spokesperson said.
Broader political context
Kushner, Witkoff, senior White House aide Josh Greenbaum, and other US officials worked on the proposal over the past 45 days, consulting ‘Israeli’ officials, private-sector figures, and contractors, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Backers of the project argue that leaving Gaza undeveloped amid a deepening humanitarian crisis would be a far worse alternative, insisting the plan aligns with Trump’s vision of turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
