A Marshall Plan to Bring Peace and Friendship to Gaza

This Passover week, April 12–19, 2025, should be a time of celebration for Israel, remembering the freedom from slavery in Egypt. However, the ongoing war in Gaza casts a dark shadow. Hamas still holds 59 Israeli hostages, and Gaza is in ruins—most homes are destroyed, and nearly everyone has been forced to leave their homes. Israel faces constant threats, and Gazans are suffering, with many lacking food, water, and medical care.

In Oasis 1 Towards a New Vision of Gaza, I tried to create a system that offers a new way forward by rebuilding Gaza’s economy from scratch, focusing on benefits for both sides, much like the Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe after World War II.

What is the Oasis 1 Rebuld Proposal?
The purpose of Oasis 1 is to act as a Marshall Plan for Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, and even beyond, bringing people together in safe zones where they can build a better future. It’s based on game theory, which means we make the people in these zones feel like they’re investing in their own success—just like in a game where everyone wins by working together.

We use a kibbutz system, like the cooperative communities in Israel, where people share work and resources for the common good. Over time, this can create a new group of people who are friendly neighbors or even allies to Israel, making the whole region stronger and more peaceful.

The new Oasis 1 starts with a small safe zone in northern Gaza near the Erez crossing, helping 20,000 of the most vulnerable people—infants, the wounded, and the displaced—by the end of 2025. This $150 million project will provide tents for shelter, mobile hospitals to treat the sick, clean water for drinking, and jobs to help people start over. Israel will be in charge of keeping everyone safe, using careful security measures that protect the hostages while helping Gazans. For example, we’ll have security checkpoints to ensure only peaceful people enter, and we’ll use quiet security, like plain-clothed police, so the zone feels relaxed and welcoming. We’ll also teach new ways of thinking that encourage peace and discourage extreme ideas, helping people learn to live together better.

The Rebuild of Gaza Oasis Zones with MAX Closed Transit System Drawn by Dr. Whimsy Anderson

A big part of Oasis 1 is the MAX Caravan Line, a short rail line at first that will bring food and supplies safely through Erez since Egypt won’t open the Rafah border. In the future, this rail can grow to connect Gaza to Israel, the West Bank, and even faraway places like Jordan and the UAE.

This will make traveling, working, and trading easier, bringing in many jobs and money to help Gazans rebuild their lives. It will also strengthen the whole area by connecting everyone like a big family working together.

Oasis 1 will create many jobs and bring in trade, helping Gazans while also helping Israel and the West Bank grow stronger together. It will make things safer, too, by reducing attacks and saving lives over time. This is much like how the U.S. rebuilt Japan after World War II, turning an enemy into a friend. Even after hard times—like putting Japanese Americans in internment camps during the war—the U.S. and Japan built a strong partnership, with U.S. military bases still in Japan today to keep things peaceful. Oasis 1 can do the same for Israel and Gaza, helping both sides work together for a better future.

Israel has already started moving some Gazans to other countries, like Indonesia, where 1,000 people have been sent so far. They’re also talking to Sudan about taking more Gazans. It’s worth noting that Sudan itself has taken in many refugees from its own conflicts—public reports show that millions of Sudanese people have fled to neighboring countries like Chad and Egypt due to the war there [Web ID: 0] [Web ID: 1] [Web ID: 2]. This shows that Sudan has experience hosting displaced people, which could make it a possible partner for Israel’s relocation efforts.

However, given its challenges, it also raises questions about Sudan’s capacity to take on more. Inside the safe zones, we’ll encourage kindness and understanding. People can play sports together, share cultural events, and learn from each other, all in a place where they feel safe. Over time, we can help Gazans see Israel in a new way—not as an enemy, but as a neighbor who wants to help. This isn’t about fighting—it’s about inviting people into a new community where everyone can benefit, just like a kibbutz brings people together to share and grow.

Israel should start this $150 million project now, working with trusted partners like the U.S. and Abraham Accords countries. Oasis 1 shows that even a big dream can become a real peace plan, helping Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank build a brighter future together, just as the Marshall Plan showed the world how to rebuild through shared goals.