The meeting, described as a “big gathering” by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, reportedly focused on a post-war vision for Gaza that echoes Trump’s previous calls to depopulate the besieged territory and transform it into a US-controlled “Riviera” on the Mediterranean. Not without reason, some media outlets have used the term “hell’s triangle,” given the US’s true intentions.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has attended a White House meeting led by Donald Trump and Jared Kushner to discuss the future of Gaza, a meeting that has raised alarm due to its exclusion of Palestinians and links to a plan that many describe as a plan for ethnic cleansing. The meeting, described as a “big meeting” by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly focused on a post-war vision for Gaza that echoes Trump’s previous calls to depopulate the besieged territory and transform it into a US-controlled “Riviera” on the Mediterranean. Not without reason, some media outlets have used the term “hell’s triangle,” given the US’s true intentions.
BLAIR’S PRESENCE
Blair’s presence at the meeting has drawn attention given the previous involvement of his institute’s staff in a project widely linked to the so-called “Riviera Plan”. Previous reports by the Financial Times (FT) revealed that staff from Blair’s Institute for Global Change took part in discussions involving a sliding economic development platform that envisioned a depopulated Gaza rebranded as a smart zone for luxury tourism and offshore development. Although the Blair Institute has stressed that it neither designed nor approved the plan, the participation of its staff has raised questions.
KUSHNER AS A KEY FACTOR
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East adviser, has long been an advocate of such proposals. In February 2024, he noted the “value” of the Gaza Strip and publicly suggested that Israel should “move the people out” and rebuild the territory. This statement closely mirrors Trump’s suggestion that the US could oversee the reconstruction of Gaza after its population is expelled.
The Trump White House has been consulting with Kushner for months on the future of Gaza and has reportedly collaborated with economists such as Joseph Pelzman, who has openly advocated the complete razing of Gaza and the displacement of its residents. The academic, speaking on an Israeli podcast, described a plan to dig up all the infrastructure and “displace the locals around,” suggesting that Egypt, described as “bankrupt,” could be forced to accept the displaced population.
THE LACK OF PALESTINIAN VOICES
No Palestinian officials or representatives were present at the meeting. Nor were any Arab states reportedly invited, despite the meeting’s broader implications for Regional stability. Instead, among the participants was Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The absence of Palestinian voices and the inclusion of figures like Kushner, who has rejected Palestinian statehood and supported Israeli settlement expansion, has intensified criticism.
For Blair, a former Quartet envoy to the Middle East, attending such a meeting alongside supporters of the ethnic cleansing of Gaza is particularly controversial. A source close to Blair told the FT that his attendance was driven by a desire to restart a political process and secure a two-state solution, claiming that he “absolutely is not and never has been for forced displacement”.
“RIVIERA”
The “Riviera” vision for Gaza has been condemned by Palestinian civil society, international legal scholars, and numerous human rights organizations as a dangerous fantasy rooted in colonial logic. The transformation of a traumatized and war-torn land into a playground for foreign investors, while its indigenous population is in exile, has been compared to historical colonization projects where violence, displacement, and economic opportunism went hand in hand.
PLAN
According to the Washington Post, the plan calls for American administration of the territory for at least a decade, “voluntary resettlement” of Palestinian residents, and the reconstruction of the enclave into a tourist destination and industrial hub. The 38-page document, obtained by the Washington Post, proposes that about 2 million Gazans be temporarily relocated to “restricted access areas” inside or outside the territory while reconstruction takes place. Meanwhile, a number of Mediterranean countries would host temporary humanitarian aid camps. The plan is called the “GREAT Trust” (Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust) and was drafted by an organization called the Humanitarian Foundation for Gaza (GHF), which is supported by the US and Israel, but with unclear funding.
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR THOSE WHO LEAVE
Under the plan, any Palestinian who agrees to leave will receive $5.000 in cash, four years of rent subsidies and a year of food. Meanwhile, landowners in Gaza will be offered a “digital voucher” in exchange for the rights to develop their property, which will be transformed into a tourist or industrial zone. Although the plan has not been made public by the White House, it is consistent with previous statements by Trump, who on February 4 said that the US should “take control of devastated and starving Gaza” to turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” after the population is relocated.
CRITICISM FROM THE UN AND HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Trump’s statement has sparked outrage among Palestinians and international humanitarian organizations, who warn of a massive forced displacement that would violate international law. Since May 2025, when the GHF began its activities, more than 1.000 people have been killed while seeking help near the foundation’s centers, according to the UN. Most of them were shot by Israeli forces near these facilities.
NEW ATTACKS IN GAZA, MAJOR OFFENSIVE WARNED
Overnight, Israeli forces launched a massive ground and air strike on the outskirts of Gaza City, destroying homes and forcing thousands of residents to flee. Israel’s Security Council is expected to meet today to discuss a plan for the city’s occupation. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned against a mass evacuation of the civilian population, while the Israeli military called the evacuation “inevitable” before launching a general offensive against Hamas.
In 23 months of war, Gaza has been almost completely destroyed. On Saturday alone, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense Service, 66 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza City and surrounding areas. Despite international and domestic pressure, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government remains determined to continue the offensive.