MANILA, Philippines – A controversial post-war plan for Gaza envisions the United States taking control of the besieged Palestinian territory for at least a decade, while relocating its entire population of more than 2 million, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, August 31.
The 38-page proposal, obtained by the Post, outlines a trusteeship under which Gaza’s residents would be removed—either abroad or into secured enclaves within the strip—under the guise of “voluntary” departures.
In exchange, property-owning Gazans would be issued digital tokens from a proposed trust. These could be used to resettle elsewhere or redeemed later for housing units in newly built “smart cities” envisioned for Gaza.
The plan also imagines transforming the war-ravaged enclave into a high-tech and tourism hub, reviving Donald Trump’s earlier pitch of a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Critics warn that the scheme amounts to mass displacement and forced exile under a veneer of choice. Rights groups have long argued that similar “voluntary relocation” narratives conceal coercion and violate international law.
Israel has not publicly commented on the details of the reported proposal. Washington also has yet to confirm or deny the plan’s authenticity.
Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and humanitarian agencies describe conditions in the enclave as catastrophic.
The new proposal, if pursued, would mark an unprecedented U.S. role in directly governing Palestinian territory, raising questions about sovereignty, legality, and the future of the Palestinian people.
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