Representatives of US President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council” have held talks with Dubai’s state-owned multinational DP World on managing supply chains and infrastructure projects in Gaza, the Financial Times reported today.
Reconstruction in Gaza, where two years of Israeli bombardment have destroyed four-fifths of the buildings, is expected to cost about $70 billion, according to global institutions.
Citing three people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said the talks focused on the prospects for a partnership between DP World and the Peace Council to manage the trusteeship.
These efforts would also cover the entry into Gaza of humanitarian aid and other goods, including warehouses, systems to monitor aid distribution, and security, it added.
Other ideas raised during the talks included the construction of a new port either in Gaza or on the neighboring Egyptian coast, to be built by the company in question, which is based in the United Arab Emirates and could also create a free trade zone in the war-torn strip, according to the newspaper.
DP World and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Trump nominated the Peace Council last September to oversee his plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza, then said he would look into other conflicts.
His plan for Gaza calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops, with reconstruction beginning as soon as Hamas lays down its arms.
