Jared Kushner and Tony Blair to Lead Gaza Reconstruction Efforts Under Trump's New Middle East Peace Plan

Hamas's persistent refusal to surrender its weapons remains the most significant obstacle in the Gaza reconstruction process.

Donald Trump's son-in-law and former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, alongside US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, have been confirmed to oversee post-war Gaza reconstruction efforts. Both individuals played instrumental roles in brokering the recent ceasefire and will now transition into key positions for rebuilding the war-torn territory.

According to The Telegraph, Trump is expected to announce before Christmas a comprehensive US plan where Kushner and Witkoff will join former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on an executive board tasked with managing Gaza's reconstruction. This executive board will report directly to a "board of peace" chaired by Trump himself and including various Arab and European leaders, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman among them.

A governance model designed earlier this year by Kushner and Blair has gained support from the United States, the United Nations, and multiple Western governments. This framework proposes that between 12 and 15 Palestinian technocrats with no affiliations to either Hamas or Fatah would handle daily administration under the executive board's supervision.

The primary challenge continues to be Hamas's unwillingness to disarm. Israeli authorities have stated they will maintain their military presence in Gaza until Hamas surrenders its weapons.

"All of the different elements are pretty well-advanced... The big question is: will Hamas agree to disarm and allow the new government to take power?" a Western official disclosed to Axios.

Kushner is also advocating for "alternative safe communities" - small, temporary settlements within Gaza's IDF-controlled eastern and southern "green zone." This initiative aims to encourage civilian relocation away from Hamas-dominated areas in western Gaza.

Simultaneously, negotiators are working to establish an international stabilization force. Indonesia and Azerbaijan have expressed interest in contributing troops. While some countries advocate for Turkey's involvement, Israel has rejected this proposition, accusing Ankara of providing support to Hamas.

A European official noted, "It's all directed at the green zone at the moment. No one knows how they're going to dislodge Hamas."

Last month, Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss the fragile ceasefire. According to the Gaza health ministry, over 70,000 Palestinians have lost their lives during more than two years of Israeli bombardment.

Israel has emphasized that any future governance structure in Gaza must exclude Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas maintains that it will not relinquish its weapons.

Netanyahu declared to the Knesset that Gaza would be "demilitarised, either the easy way or the hard way."