Israel Blocks Trump-Kushner Gaza Reconstruction Plan Over Contractor Access
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Israel has blocked a Gaza reconstruction plan by Donald Trump's "Peace Council" by refusing entry to contractors, The Guardian reported. The project, intended to establish an international stabilization force, is paralyzed without security and access. The council believes Israel will allow it to proceed only after the October 27 elections. This initiative is part of a larger $71 billion reconstruction effort, while security remains tense with ongoing Israeli strikes.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel is blocking a Gaza reconstruction plan by Donald Trump's "Peace Council" by denying contractor access.
- The plan includes establishing an international stabilization force and building a fortified base.
- The project is paralyzed without security and access for construction materials and personnel.
- The Peace Council estimates Israel will permit the project to proceed after the October 27 elections.
- The initiative is part of a larger $71 billion reconstruction effort for Gaza.
- Security in Gaza remains tense with ongoing Israeli strikes since October 2025.
Israel is refusing to allow contractors into Gaza to begin reconstruction work as part of a plan spearheaded by former President Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to The Guardian. The project, initiated by the UN-established "Peace Council" in 2025, aims to establish an international stabilization force in the Strip. A construction contract was awarded to Louisiana-based Arkel International to build a fortified 100x100 meter base on the ruins of a previous humanitarian project. This base was intended to house a rotating armed force of 150 soldiers, drawn from a larger contingent of 500 already deployed from Morocco and Kosovo.
Two months after the contract was signed, Israeli authorities have not yet approved the entry of contractors and construction vehicles, effectively paralyzing the entire initiative. "Israel will not open the border," a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the newspaper. Without the international stabilization force, the source explained, "there is no security. There are no construction material shipments. You can't even start building basic infrastructure, because without the force, you can't get in." A spokesperson for the Peace Council, the IDF, and the Israeli government declined to comment.
The Peace Council estimates that the Israeli government will only permit the project to proceed after the elections scheduled for October 27. Trump serves as the lifetime chairman of the Peace Council, which includes 28 founding member states and is central to his claims of having resolved the Gaza war. Other key figures in the council's leadership include Kushner and real estate figure Steve Witkoff, who recently stated they were making "real progress."
In September, the council presented a six-month plan valued at $2.45 billion, as an initial step toward a projected decade-long reconstruction effort costing $71 billion. Kushner has also envisioned transforming Gaza into a luxury resort city with skyscrapers, while senior advisor Arie Lightstone announced a fund for direct donations from wealthy individuals. Amidst these reconstruction plans, the security situation in Gaza remains tense, with Israel continuing strikes that, according to Gaza health authorities, have resulted in approximately 1,400 deaths since the ceasefire in October 2025.
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