US envoy says Trump will chair a “major meeting” on Gaza’s post-war future

Trump to Host High-Level White House Meeting on Gaza’s Post-War Future: US Envoy

US President Donald Trump will chair a high-level meeting at the White House on Tuesday to discuss plans for Gaza after the war, his envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed.

“We’ve got a large meeting in the White House today, chaired by the president, and it’s a very comprehensive plan we’re putting together for the next day,” Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News, without offering further details.

He was responding to a question about whether a strategy exists for “the day after” in Gaza, referring to a potential end to Israel’s ongoing war in the Palestinian territory that began in October 2023.

Earlier this year, Trump drew global attention when he proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip, evacuate its two million residents, and redevelop the area into a luxury coastal hub.

He claimed the US would clear debris and unexploded ordnance, transforming Gaza into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s idea, but it was met with strong criticism from several European and Arab governments.

Witkoff offered no specifics about the plan discussed on Tuesday, but insisted it would be “robust” and “well-meaning.”

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas launched a deadly assault on Israel in October 2023, killing 1,219 people—mostly civilians—according to official figures compiled by AFP.

Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed at least 62,819 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, whose data is regarded as credible by the United Nations.