Trump-linked Gaza scheme decried as blueprint for ethnic cleansing

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Washington Post
2 Sep 2025 17:49

A leaked plan tied to Trump figures proposes the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, prompting warnings of ethnic cleansing and international crimes.

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A makeshift tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches across an area near the Gaza City port, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (AP)

A controversial 38-page document tied to Trump-era figures has sparked outrage for proposing the forced displacement of more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, a move widely condemned as ethnic cleansing and a potential genocidal act, according to The Guardian, citing The Washington Post.

Most problematic is the suggestion of the “temporary relocation of all of Gaza’s more than 2 million population,” language that critics say amounts to ethnic cleansing. The proposal envisions forcing Palestinians into displacement to other countries or into highly restricted zones during reconstruction.

As part of the scheme, those with land ownership would receive a “digital token” in exchange for redevelopment rights, intended to finance a new life elsewhere. Those who remain would be housed in units as small as 323 square feet, significantly smaller than many existing homes in Gaza.

Ethnic cleansing under pretext of development

It remains unclear whether the plan reflects official US policy. The White House and State Department declined to comment to the Washington Post. However, the language and objectives align closely with President Donald Trump’s previously stated ambitions to “clean out” Gaza and redevelop the territory.

Just a few days ago, reports circulated that the White House is considering a 10-year Gaza displacement plan as part of a postwar reconstruction initiative for the besieged enclave, as per the Washington Post.

According to the report, the plan under discussion would involve a US administration of Gaza for at least a decade, with the stated aim of transforming the Strip into a “gleaming tourism resort” and a high-tech hub after ethnically cleansing it.

Among the first to condemn the proposal was Philip Grant, executive director of Trial International, who slammed the plot as “A blueprint for mass deportation, marketed as development. The outcome? A textbook case of international crimes on an unimaginable scale: forcible population transfer, demographic engineering, and collective punishment.”

Trial International, along with 14 other human rights groups, has previously warned that private contractors working in Gaza in cooperation with the Israeli government could be complicit in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.

“Those involved in the planning and execution of such a plan – including corporate actors – could face legal liability for decades to come,” Grant added.

Trump, Kushner, and 'New Gaza'

The leaked document, subtitled “From a Demolished Iranian Proxy to a Prosperous Abrahamic Ally”, appears to have been created by individuals with little understanding of Gaza’s geography or political reality.

The plan proposes rebuilding Gaza as a multibillion-dollar tech and tourism hub, complete with a modern port, a waterway dividing the city, and up to eight “AI-powered” megacities, seemingly inspired by Saudi Arabia’s troubled Neom project.

It also includes plans for an “Elon Musk” manufacturing park, located on the ruins of the Erez industrial zone, once used by "Israel" to exploit Palestinian labor before being destroyed by Israeli occupation forces.

This so-called “reconstruction” plan is profoundly dystopic: under the guise of shiny economic projects and digital incentives, it amounts to the systematic ethnic displacement of Palestinians, echoing genocidal logic while dressing atrocity in buzzwords and tech-speak.

The plan also indicates the expropriation of much of Gaza’s agricultural land, especially near the border with occupied Palestine, essentially obliterating any opportunities for Palestinian self-sufficiency, under the guise of creating a security buffer zone.

Violations of international law highlighted

Perhaps most damning is the absence of any clear reference to Palestinian sovereignty. The small print suggests no distinction between Gaza, "Israel", and Egypt, and envisions "Israel" maintaining “overarching rights” over the Strip to “meet its security needs.”

There is no mention of a Palestinian state, only a “Palestinian polity” expected to join the Abraham Accords.

The language of the document appears designed to appeal to Trump, Elon Musk, and Mohammed bin Salman, for whom the proposed security ring around Gaza is reportedly named.

The Washington Post reported that the Boston Consulting Group, named in the prospectus, said the work was unauthorized and confirmed that two senior partners who led the financial planning had been fired.

Israeli media, rights groups condemn the scheme

Even within Israeli media, the proposal drew ridicule. A columnist in Haaretz described the plan as “A Trumpian get-rich-quick scheme reliant on war crimes, AI and tourism.”

Legal and policy experts echoed that sentiment. HA Hellyer, senior associate at the Royal United Services Institute, said, “It’s insane. What is important is what the plan points to, and that is not a new idea: the Israel determination that there should be no Palestinian sovereignty or self-determination in Gaza."

He further noted that Washington has been circling the proposal since February, making it clear that it is "OK with the idea of ethnic cleansing in Gaza."

"The notion that this would be about ‘voluntary departure’ when Palestinians in Gaza have no choice but to be shot or starved," Hellyer added.

No place for Palestinian sovereignty

Meanwhile, Katherine Gallagher, senior lawyer at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) in New York, said that “Any company that aligns itself with Israel – and seemingly, Trump – in a plan to forcibly transfer Palestinians from their homes in Gaza is opening itself up to significant legal liability at home and under universal jurisdiction.”

The CCR has recently sued the Trump administration for documentation related to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private organization tasked with overseeing aid distribution, at whose sites hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while queuing for food.

The plan was reportedly leaked days after Trump held a White House meeting on post-war Gaza, attended by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The scheme has been unequivocally rejected by senior Hamas official Basem Naim, who stated, “Gaza is not for sale. Gaza is part of the greater Palestinian homeland.”