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As Gaza laments one of the deadliest humanitarian catastrophes ever to hit the region, some Israeli far-right politicians are bringing back contentious plans to reclaim the territory and turn it into a tourist center. On Tuesday, an incendiary session called “The Riviera in Gaza: From Vision to Reality” took place at Israel’s parliament building, Knesset, where speakers brainstormed how to make the conflict-wracked strip a Middle Eastern “riviera.”.
The session was presided over by hardline leaders such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and activist Daniella Weiss, who is a long-time advocate of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Weiss offered a “master plan” developed by her group that sees 1.2 million new Jewish residents housed, with accompanying infrastructure for agriculture, industry, and seashore tourism.
This plan is similar to a proposal floated by former US President Donald Trump in February, who proposed making Gaza a luxury destination run by Americans—after its Palestinian population would have been removed. That proposal triggered indignation throughout the Arab world as well as among Palestinians, recalling comparisons to the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were driven out during Israel’s founding.
The timing of the meeting has also fueled tensions, as Gaza is in one of its most lethal periods since hostilities commenced. A minimum of 85 Palestinians were said to have been killed on Sunday attempting to access food alongside the Zikim crossing. The Israeli army alleged that it had fired warning shots, and challenged the reported death toll. Nevertheless, the UN World Food Programme accused Israeli troops of shooting directly into the crowd.
To meet the worsening situation, US special envoy Steve Witkoff was sent to the area on Tuesday in a bid to negotiate a truce between Israel and Hamas. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce was quoted as having “strong hope” that Witkoff’s trip would bring about both a truce and the creation of a new humanitarian corridor.
The negotiated US proposal involves a 60-day truce, release of some Israeli captives by Hamas, and release of Palestinian detainees. It would also open the door to a massive flow of humanitarian assistance. But there are wide gaps between both sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows that the war will not cease until Hamas is disarmed and out of office. Hamas, however, insists that Israel agree to a complete stoppage of the war first before all hostages are released.
Ever since Hamas launched its attack on October 7, in which 1,219 individuals died in Israel, the Israeli military campaign has so far murdered more than 59,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority civilians, said the Hamas health ministry.
