In a closed-door meeting in Brussels, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and envoy, called for a fundamental shift in how international donors finance Gaza's reconstruction, according to multiple diplomats briefed on the talks. Speaking via video conference, Kushner dismissed existing aid programmes as "designed step by step by NGOs and terrorists" and urged European and Arab ministers to adopt a radically different model.
The meeting, convened by EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, launched a recovery package worth nearly €900 million for the Strip. Kushner's presence underscored the Trump administration's determination to sideline the United Nations and its agencies, particularly the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which the EU funds heavily. Although Kushner did not name UNRWA directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as a call to bypass the agency.
Demilitarisation as a precondition
Kushner made clear that no reconstruction can succeed while armed groups retain military capabilities in Gaza. "One government with one gun" was the principle he stressed, according to participants. He argued that a consistent flow of humanitarian cash has fallen into the hands of Hamas, which used it to buy weapons, build tunnels, and develop rockets. Israel has long accused UNRWA of connections with terrorist groups, a charge the agency denies.
"Change is like heaven: everyone wants to go there, but nobody wants to die," Kushner told the conference, describing the current situation as "a perpetual uncapped liability" where donors are "constantly putting novocaine on the problem." He appeared to take a veiled swipe at the assembled ministers, saying the ultimate goal should be to ensure no further international donor meetings on Gaza are needed.
Arab states and Turkey praised
Despite the blunt critique, the overall tone of Kushner's remarks was conciliatory, diplomats said. He singled out Arab states for their experience in rapidly building cities for millions of people, arguing they were best placed to help reimagine a future for Gaza's more than two million residents. He also praised Egypt and Turkey for their potential roles.
Kushner's invitation to the meeting came from Commissioner Šuica, who has invested considerable diplomatic effort in cultivating ties with him since the first—and so far only—meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington last February. That board, chaired by Trump, is expected to oversee Gaza's reconstruction, a role that has drawn criticism from several EU member states who argue the UN should lead such talks.
The EU's position on Gaza remains divided. While the European Commission has been the largest donor to UNRWA, some member states have pushed for a tougher stance on Israeli settlement trade, as EU foreign ministers largely backed a full ban on Israeli settlement trade in a recent meeting. The Kushner initiative adds a new layer of complexity to Brussels' efforts to maintain a unified approach.
For a deeper look at why Kushner has become central to the EU's Gaza strategy, see our analysis: Why Jared Kushner Is Central to the EU's Gaza Reconstruction Strategy.
The meeting also took place against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, where Iran struck Gulf targets as EU ministers debated the settlement trade ban. Kushner's call for a new approach in Gaza may be seen as part of a broader US effort to reshape Middle Eastern dynamics, with European partners expected to play a supporting role.
