Figures close to the Trump administration and politically connected Republican businesses in the U.S. are maneuvering to secure a lucrative role in Gaza’s humanitarian aid and reconstruction, the Guardian has reported.
The United Nations estimates that rebuilding Gaza — where three-quarters of buildings were destroyed by two years of Israeli strikes — could cost $70 billion. Yet long-term contracts are stalled: A U.N.-endorsed Board of Peace, chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, is not yet operational, and the Civil-Military Coordination Center has a limited mandate.
Parallel to these official efforts, a White House Gaza taskforce, led by Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Aryeh Lightstone, is shaping postwar plans.
Two former officials from Elon Musk’s Doge project, Josh Gruenbaum and Adam Hoffman, are spearheading logistics discussions, circulating planning documents detailing potential warehouse sites, trucking fees, and financial projections, the Guardian said in a report on Dec. 14.
One contractor, Gothams LLC, a politically connected firm, emerged as a frontrunner. It previously managed a $33 million South Florida detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Documents indicated that a “Master Contractor” could earn up to $1.7 billion annually from Gaza trucking fees alone, according to the report.
However, Gothams’ founder, Matt Michelsen, recently pulled out, citing security and reputational concerns.
The Guardian reported that U.S. contractors are actively meeting officials and partners in the region.
One long-time contractor described the competition as “everybody and their brother” chasing profits, likening it to the postwar efforts in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The plan’s ambitious logistics model proposes 600 humanitarian and commercial truckloads daily into Gaza, with fees of $2,000 per humanitarian load and $12,000 per commercial truck.
Yet Israeli restrictions currently limit truck entries to roughly 140 per day, well below the 600 stipulated in the October ceasefire.
Critics argued the planning lacks humanitarian expertise. Amed Khan, who delivers medical aid to Gaza, said, “None of these people are humanitarians… there’s no surge of medicine, no surge of medical equipment.”
Meanwhile, the U.N.’s role remains uncertain, as Israel controls access permits for all aid actors.
Despite the uncertainty, political connections appear central. Michelsen has donated heavily to Republican figures like Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis. Yet after Guardian inquiries, he confirmed Gothams would not participate for now, citing both security and potential negative publicity.
