US Contractors Compete for Postwar Gaza Reconstruction Amidst UN $70 Billion Rebuilding Estimate
US contractors, including Gothams LLC, are competing for contracts to aid in the reconstruction of Gaza following recent conflicts. The United Nations has estimated that rebuilding Gaza will require approximately $70 billion. A UN-endorsed peace initiative involves a Board of Peace chaired by former President Donald Trump to administer Gaza; however, this board is not yet operational. Meanwhile, the existing Civil-Military Coordination Center's mandate remains limited.
The White House Gaza taskforce overseeing reconstruction efforts is led by Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Aryeh Lightstone, with guidance from two former Doge officials responsible for planning humanitarian aid and rebuilding operations. Adam Hoffman circulated a planning document proposing a “Gaza Supply System Logistics Architecture” that includes a Master Contractor to manage 600 humanitarian and commercial truckloads daily, with trucking fees totaling around $1.7 billion annually.
Trucking logistics are essential for Gaza's rebuilding. Before the war, Gaza handled about 500 trucks per day, but restrictions following October 7 and a ceasefire agreement have reduced the daily truck flow to an average of about 140 trucks. Gothams LLC was initially viewed as a frontrunner after signing a proposal to the Board of Peace but its founder, Matt Michelsen, withdrew from the project, citing security concerns and stating that Gothams would not participate.
Israel maintains control over access permits for Gaza-based contractors. Despite the UN's endorsement of the peace-board plan, its role in reconstruction remains unclear. Critics, including philanthropist Amed Khan, have expressed skepticism about the planning effort, describing it as flawed and not genuinely humanitarian in nature.
