The United States and Israel are considering a plan to divide the Gaza Strip into two zones—one under Israeli control and the other under Hamas rule—with reconstruction to begin only in the Israeli-controlled area. The measure is being explored as a temporary step until Hamas is disarmed and no longer governs any part of the enclave, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The proposal was hinted at earlier this week during a press conference in Israel, where Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, said reconstruction would initially take place only in areas under Israeli control. Standing alongside Vice President J.D. Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff, Kushner said, “There are considerations happening now in the area that the IDF controls, as long as that can be secured, to start the construction as a new Gaza in order to give the Palestinians living in Gaza a place to go, a place to get jobs, a place to live.”
Kushner: No funds for reconstruction would go to areas that remain under Hamas control
(Video: US Embassy Jerusalem)
The plan has raised concerns among Arab mediators involved in ceasefire negotiations, who reportedly oppose any division of Gaza, fearing it could lead to permanent Israeli control over parts of the territory. Officials from several Arab states have said they would refuse to deploy forces into Gaza under such an arrangement.
A senior U.S. administration official described the plan as “preliminary,” noting that updates would be shared in the coming days. White House sources say Kushner is the driving force behind the proposed divided-reconstruction framework, which he developed in coordination with Witkoff. The plan has received backing from both Trump and Vance, according to U.S. officials.
Still, many key questions remain unresolved, including how to deliver basic services to Palestinians who might move into the Israeli-controlled zone—assuming they are willing to do so. Officials say the idea of beginning reconstruction in areas not under Hamas control was discussed even before a ceasefire was finalized, in hopes of improving civilian conditions and presenting a vision of a post-Hamas Gaza.
Another concern is how to prevent Hamas operatives from moving into Israeli-held areas. One option raised by American officials includes Israeli security screenings. Some Arab negotiators suspect the U.S. is using the phased proposal to buy time as it navigates the complex issues tied to the “day after” in Gaza.