Representatives of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace have held talks with state-owned Dubai multinational DP World about managing supply chains and infrastructure projects in Gaza, the Financial Times said on Tuesday.
Rehabilitation of Gaza, where two years of warfare destroyed four-fifths of the enclave's buildings, has been projected by global institutions to cost around $70 billion.
Citing three people familiar with the matter, the report said the talks centered on prospects for a partnership between DP World and the Board of Peace to run logistics.
These efforts would cover humanitarian aid and other goods entering Gaza, including warehouses, tracking systems, and security, it added.
The FT also reported that during the talks, the possibility of building a new port in either Gaza or on the Egyptian coast was floated. Notably, this could also lead to the development of a free-trade zone in the Gaza Strip.
The talks are part of long-running US proposals to privatize services and infrastructure in Palestinian territories under plans for a “new Gaza.”
A draft proposal viewed by the FT envisions a DP World-led project to create a "secure and traceable supply chain system" and a port-driven economic hub, alongside light industry and job-generating trade platforms.
DP World and the White House did not immediately respond to any request for comment. Notably, US-led efforts under the Board of Peace continue discussions with international firms on potential privatization and infrastructure projects, though little pledged funding has yet materialized, the report noted.
Trump proposed the Board of Peace last September to oversee his plan to end Israel's war in Gaza, subsequently saying it would tackle other conflicts.
Gaza reconstruction is estimated to cost billions in the next decade, but progress has reportedly stalled due to limited funding, unresolved negotiations over Hamas disarmament, and continued political and security deadlock.
US-led efforts under the Board of Peace continue discussions with international firms on potential privatization and infrastructure projects, though little pledged funding has yet materialized, the report noted.
A multi-billion-dollar effort to transform Gaza
US officials are reportedly planning a multi-billion-dollar effort to transform Gaza into a modern, infrastructure-rich hub, but reconstruction has yet to begin following the October ceasefire, as humanitarian conditions remain severe and restrictions on goods continue to hinder access.
Sources told the Financial Times that the current entry systems are insufficient for the scale of the envisioned rebuilding.
“You can’t rebuild Gaza like in their vision with 1,500 trucks a week being moved back-to-back through Israeli crossings. You need bigger, more efficient, and less bureaucratic entryways,” a source familiar with the matter told the Financial Times. “Right now it’s like working through a straw.”
A Board of Peace official told the FT that the body aims to increase the flow of goods and reconstruction services into Gaza and is engaging with multiple potential partners.
“We are conducting . . . market research focused on how to identify best-in-class operators and next-gen solutions,” the source added.