Trump envoy Witkoff says developers will convene on Gaza future

US President Donald Trump

Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, says a summit will soon be held with real estate developers and planners from the region to discuss the administration’s controversial plan for Gaza.

“We’re going to conduct a summit pretty soon with probably the biggest developers in the Middle East region, many of the Arab developers — lots of master planners,” Witkoff said at an event in Washington on Tuesday night. “I think when people see some of the ideas that come from this, they’re going to be amazed.”

Witkoff, a long-time frind of Trump, didn’t provide further details, including where the summit would take place or when. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on his discussions regarding such a gathering.

He said Trump believed it was time for new solutions to the Middle East’s most polarizing conflict. He added that many countries had contacted the US to be part of “some sort of permanent solution” for residents of war-torn Gaza.

He spoke as Israel tries to extend a ceasefire with Hamas, the group that has controlled Gaza for almost two decades, beyond its expiration this weekend.

Israel wants the extension so as many hostages as possible that are held by the Palestinian militant group can be freed. At the same time, Israel is amassing troops for a return to war if its government thinks that’s necessary.

Trump has proposed that the US take over the Gaza Strip and develop it into a “Riviera” of the Middle East, with Gazans being sent to Arab countries. That has been greeted with alarm in Middle Eastern capitals and beyond, with many rejecting the displacement of Palestinians and critics likening it to ethnic cleansing and a violation of international law.

Witkoff, who plans to return to the Middle East this week, said that “we’re not talking about an eviction” plan for Gazans. But, he said, it was impractical for them to stay over the 10-to-15 years the US government thinks it would take to properly rebuild the coastal enclave. He described Gaza as a “giant slum” that had been devastated by around 16 months of war, and said a long-term redevelopment plan was needed.

“There are many countries, by the way, out there, that from a humanitarian standpoint, we’ve spoken to many of them, are actually extending themselves and saying, hey, look, we, would love to be a part of some sort of permanent solution for the Gaza people,” Witkoff said.