'Failure is not an option' in Gaza reconstruction, says Trump envoy

​​​​​​​By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Jared Kushner, a key figure in US peace efforts, said Thursday that failure in the Gaza Strip is "not an option" as he outlined an ambitious vision for rebuilding the war-torn territory at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington.

"We are here to help the people of Gaza, to lift them up and give them every opportunity to succeed," said US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, describing the effort as a partnership with Gazans and Israelis to create "an environment that can be peaceful, that could be functional."

Kushner struck an optimistic tone about international cooperation, saying Muslims, Jews, Palestinians, Israelis and people from across the world had come together around "a common goal, which is peace and togetherness."

"We cannot change the past," he said, "but what you're seeing today is that we can potentially change the future if we focus and do this in the right way."

He said participants of the Board of Peace are "a very self-selecting group of countries that really believe that the future can be different," noting those involved were doing it "for their children and for their grandchildren."

A promotional video produced by Kushner outlined reconstruction efforts on the ground, describing the establishment of safe zones offering shelter, food, health care and education for Palestinian families.

Infrastructure work coordinated with the US and the World Bank would employ hundreds of thousands in rebuilding and commercial activities, while transport, water and energy systems would be restored.

The video set a three-year target for the full reconstruction of Rafah, reduced unemployment and Gaza's connection to the world through a corridor linking Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, extending to India and Europe.

Within a decade, Gaza will become a self-governing territory integrated into the region with thriving industry and housing, according to the video.