At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Jared Kushner shared plans for a "New Gaza" with shining skyscrapers and tourism. But in Gaza, reality is bleak. More than 61 million tonnes of debris cover the land after years of Israeli air strikes. The United Nations says 92% of Gaza is destroyed, with reconstruction costing $70 billion. Yet Israel blocks crucial materials like cement, controlling when and how rebuilding can happen. Researcher Ihab Jabareen calls this control the "cement faucet," linking aid and construction to strict political and security conditions. This gives Israel power over Gaza's future without legal responsibility. Jabareen outlined three layers of extortion: security, political, and pacification. Gaza’s rebuilding is slowed by huge amounts of rubble that could take seven years to clear. Local experts reject top-down plans like Kushner's and propose the "Phoenix Plan," which focuses on recycling debris and involving Palestinians in decisions. However, Israel’s expanded "dual use" list bans many essential goods, further delaying work. The blockade serves not just as security but as ongoing political control, ensuring reconstruction never fully happens. Meanwhile, Trump’s US-backed plans promise economic growth but risk turning Gaza’s struggle into a real estate issue, sidelining national rights. Jabareen warns this strategy aims to reshape Gaza economically while hollowing out its national identity. Even reconstruction projects feed into larger political games, with contracts filtering out dissenting donors and companies. The most worrying effect is the slow erosion of Palestinian society through time. With debris clearing and rebuilding possibly taking until 2040, many Palestinians may leave Gaza out of exhaustion. Jabareen warns, "If the fighter jets failed to displace them, the waiting might succeed."