Israeli official says reconstruction of Gaza can begin immediately in areas still held by IDF

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

This aerial picture shows destroyed buildings in Gaza City's Al-Rimal neighborhood on October 23, 2025. (AFP)
This aerial picture shows destroyed buildings in Gaza City's Al-Rimal neighborhood on October 23, 2025. (AFP)

Reconstruction on Israel’s side of the “Yellow Line” dividing the Gaza Strip doesn’t have to wait for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan brokered by US President Donald Trump, a Prime Minister’s Office official tells The Times of Israel.

“The land is clear now, and actually we can start building,” says the official. “We don’t need to wait for phase two on our side.”

People of different nationalities want to come in and invest.

“If there [are] people that are pro-Israel, and won’t be in any way a harm to Israel, why not bring them in? Why not let them build?”

US Vice President JD Vance raised that approach last week. “This is all still pretty early, but that’s the basic idea,” he said before leaving Israel. “Take the areas where Hamas is not operating, start to rebuild very quickly, start to bring in the Gazans so they can live there, so they can have good jobs and hopefully some security and comfort, too.”

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