Jared Kushner leads EU talks on Gaza reconstruction funding

At a Europe‑wide donor conference in Brussels, dozens of foreign ministers gathered to discuss rebuilding the Gaza Strip. Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son‑in‑law, Jared Kushner, joined the meeting by video and was described as a key figure in the international effort. Kushner, who chairs the controversial Board of Peace, highlighted the United States’ role and called for Hamas’s disarmament as a pre‑condition for any reconstruction.

The conference launched the “Team Gaza Initiative,” earmarking €883.6 million for early‑recovery projects for Gaza’s civilian population. Contributions were pledged by France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan, alongside the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the World Bank. Australia, Canada and Ireland were expected to add further pledges. The EU stressed that the programme does not compete with the Board of Peace plan and that funds would be delivered through national channels, not BoP‑controlled accounts. The United States has not yet contributed to the initiative.

EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, who invited Kushner, said that joint action is essential for Gaza’s reconstruction, underscoring the diplomatic significance of his participation despite EU officials’ reservations about legitimising the Board of Peace.