Ethnic cleansing disguised as development: Trump allies’ Gaza plan exposed

A controversial 38-page document linked to Trump associates has sparked public outrage for suggesting the forced removal of more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

According to The Washington Post, the proposal has been widely condemned as ethnic cleansing and a potential act of genocide.

The most troubling aspect is the call for the “temporary relocation” of Gaza’s entire population of more than 2 million—language critics say is simply ethnic cleansing. The plan envisions forcing Palestinians into exile in other countries or into highly restricted areas during reconstruction.

According to The Guardian, as part of the proposal, landowners would receive digital tokens in exchange for redevelopment rights, meant to finance new lives elsewhere. Those who remain would be housed in cramped units significantly smaller than most existing homes in Gaza.

Ethnic cleansing under the guise of development

It remains unclear whether the plan reflects official U.S. policy. The White House and State Department declined to comment on The Washington Post report. However, the language and goals align with Donald Trump’s previously declared ambitions for “clearing” Gaza and redeveloping the territory.

Just days ago, The Washington Post reported that the White House was reviewing a decade-long forced relocation scheme for Gaza residents as part of post-war reconstruction plans for the besieged enclave.

The draft plan reportedly envisions U.S. administration of Gaza for at least ten years, with the stated goal of transforming the Strip into a gleaming tourist resort and high-tech hub after ethnic cleansing.

Among the first to condemn the proposal was Philip Grant, executive director of Trial International, who described it as a blueprint for mass deportation disguised as “development.” He said it exemplifies international crimes on an unimaginable scale—forced population transfer, demographic engineering, and collective punishment.

The International Criminal Court, along with 14 other human rights groups, had already warned that private contractors working in Gaza with Israel could become complicit in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.

Grant added that those involved in planning and executing such a scheme—including corporate actors—could face legal liability for decades to come.

Trump, Kushner, and the “New Gaza” plan

The leaked document appears to have been drafted by individuals with little understanding of Gaza’s geography or political realities.

The plan envisions rebuilding Gaza as a multibillion-dollar tech and tourism hub, featuring a modern port, a waterway dividing the city, and up to eight AI-driven “megacities.”

It also proposes a technology park built on the ruins of Gaza’s former industrial zone—once exploited by Israel for Palestinian labor before being destroyed by occupation forces.

Behind flashy economic projects and digital incentives, the plan essentially calls for systematic ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, cloaking genocidal logic in buzzwords of technology and development.

It further suggests the confiscation of much of Gaza’s farmland, especially near the border with Israel, effectively eliminating any possibility of Palestinian self-sufficiency under the pretext of creating a “security buffer zone.”

Violations of international law

Perhaps most shocking is the absence of any reference to Palestinian sovereignty. The fine print makes no distinction between Gaza, the occupied territories, and Egypt, while projecting sweeping Israeli control over Gaza for “security needs.”

There is no mention of a Palestinian state—only a Palestinian administration expected to join the Abraham Accords.

The language appears tailored to appeal to Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and figures like Elon Musk, with reports suggesting proposed security rings around Gaza were even named after them.

Human rights groups have condemned the plan in the strongest terms.

Legal and political experts echoed these concerns. H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said: “It’s madness. The key point is what this proposal implies, and it’s not new: Israel’s determination that there should be no sovereignty or self-determination for Palestinians in Gaza.”

He added that Washington has been considering such proposals since February and has made it clear that it has no problem with the idea of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.