E
llie Cook is a Newsweek reporter stationed in London, covering the Russia‑Ukraine conflict, U.S. military affairs, weapons systems, and emerging tech. She joined Newsweek in January 2023 after reporting for the Daily Express and holds a degree in International Journalism from City, University of London. Cook speaks English and Spanish and can be reached at [email protected].
**Senior Defense Reporter**
🎙️ Voice is AI‑generated; inconsistencies may occur.
Israeli far‑right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared that Gaza could become a “real estate bonanza” and that a “business plan” for the enclave has been forwarded to former President Donald Trump. Trump had earlier suggested the U.S. could “take over” Gaza, displacing its residents and turning the strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” a claim that drew sharp criticism from Arab and European leaders. In February, Trump shared an AI‑generated video depicting a glamorous, renovated Gaza Strip, with a fabricated version of himself sipping cocktails alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During a Tel Aviv conference, Smotrich said, “We have paid a lot of money for this war. We must see how we divide the land in percentages.” He added that a professional business plan sits on Trump’s desk. The United Nations reported in April that about 92 % of Gaza’s residential buildings had been damaged or destroyed since October 2023, and that clearing rubble would take decades. Smotrich claimed the demolition phase was complete and that rebuilding would be cheaper.
The Israeli military announced in early September it was targeting high‑rise buildings in Gaza City to prepare for expanded operations in the north, and the IDF confirmed intensified ground actions this week. Smotrich also warned that new housing projects in the occupied West Bank would “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.” This story is developing and will be updated shortly.
