The United Arab Emirates plans to fund “Gaza’s first planned community” on the ruined outskirts of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/ReutersThe group is newly mandated to oversee reconstruction efforts in Gaza, following Donald Trump’s endorsement of its founding charter on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Initial reconstruction efforts are only slated for the Israeli-held half of Gaza. Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator, expressed skepticism that the Emirati-backed compound would ever be built, but said that, either way, the plans serve Israel’s political goals. It’s not clear exactly how reconstruction efforts will proceed.

Source: The Guardian January 23, 2026 19:31 UTC