Gaza in its prime: Influencers enjoying sunny beaches and bustling resorts before conflict, as Donald Trump reveals bold project for Middle East vacation spot

Shortly before the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, both influencers and Palestinian families were drawn to the beautiful beaches and bustling holiday destinations in Gaza.

Umbrellas lined the sandy coastal beaches as swimmers took to the sea, diving, splashing and playing water games.

The waters of the Mediterranean Sea were filled with boats carrying vacationers and locals, eager to bask in the sun, take a cruise, explore the sea, and admire the various vistas of the Gaza skyline.

Visitors could be seen posing for photos along the shores of the popular beaches and smiling children enjoyed camel rides from local vendors.

On platforms like TikTok, influencers showcased the city’s top cafes, restaurants, and hidden gems, painting a picture of a place reminiscent of popular European resort towns.

But 16 months after Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel, the once beautiful coastal region is now in ruin. Israeli bombardment and ground operations have transformed entire neighborhoods in several cities into rubble-strewn wastelands, with blackened shells of buildings and mounds of debris stretching in all directions.

Major roads have been plowed up, critical water and electricity infrastructure has been destroyed, most hospitals no longer function and many locals have been left with nothing and no way to rebuild.

US President Donald Trump has proposed an audacious plan to takeover the region and rebuild it into the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’, while forcing Gaza’s 1.8million Palestinian population to move to neighboring countries.

Gaza’s beaches for years offered locals refuge, especially during the hot summer months. 

‘The sea is our only refuge in Gaza,’ a mother-of-six to Aljazeera in August 2023, just two months before the war broke out. 

‘During the summer vacation, hours of power outages increased unbearably, coinciding with the sharp heatwave that hit the world, and the sea was our only destination.’ 

Families could enjoy an inexpensive day out at the free public beaches on the strip, while those looking for a more luxurious experience go visit paid beach spots.

Visitors would be treated to air carnivals, in which kites filled the skies. The colorful scene was reinforced by the slew of umbrellas dotting the beach.

Local vendors would sell snacks, cold drinks, and sand toys to beachgoers. 

Trump on Tuesday outlined a new plan for the Middle East in which the US takes over the Gaza strip while its Palestinian population is moved to neighboring countries.

Trump, a property developer who sees the world in terms of deals, has long talked up Gaza’s coastal location and pleasant climate as a perfect holiday vacation.

The President had the jaw-dropping declaration during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. 

‘The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,’ Trump said Tuesday at a press conference alongside Netanyahu. 

‘We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings.’

In Trump’s vision, US reconstruction would create thousands of jobs and spare Palestinians the pain and expense of rebuilding once again.

When a reporter asked if that might involve military force, the President answered: ‘If it’s necessary.’

And when asked who would live there, he answered: ‘I envision world people living there. The world’s people. I think you’ll make that into an international, unbelievable place.’

Trump claimed his plans were based on humanitarian ideals and backing at the highest levels. Yet the proposal to move out Gaza’s Palestinian two-million population will be seen as a call for ‘ethnic cleansing’ by opponents.

Control of the territory has been one of the key flashpoints in the Arab-Israeli conflict, triggering waves of violence and spreading instability through the region for decades. 

At the moment, Hamas controls the territory and holds hostages, while a shaky ceasefire endures.

Netanyahu, who faces the threat of international prosecution and weakening support at home, could not help but beam as the president outlined his latest proposal. He praised Trump for his radical thinking.

The Israeli Prime Minister said it was worth paying attention to Trump’s latest idea for a ‘different future’ for a patch of land riven by terrorism.

‘You see things others refuse to see,’ he said. ‘You say things others refuse to say.’

He added: ‘And after the jaws drop people scratch their heads and they say, you know, he’s right.’

Meanwhile, the United Nations says that it could take more than 350 years to rebuild Gaza if the blockade remains.

The full extent of the damage will only be known when the fighting ends and inspectors have full access to the territory. 

The most heavily destroyed part of Gaza, in the north, had been sealed off and largely depopulated by Israeli forces in an operation that began in early October.

The UN estimated last month that 69 per cent of the structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, including over 245,000 homes. 

The World Bank estimated $18.5billion in damage – nearly the combined economic output of the West Bank and Gaza in 2022 – from just the first four months of the war.

Israel blames the destruction on Hamas, which ignited the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. 

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters.

Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The military has released photos and video footage showing that Hamas built tunnels and rocket launchers in residential areas, and often operated in and around homes, schools and mosques.

Before anything can be rebuilt, the rubble must be removed – a staggering task in itself. The UN estimates that the war has littered Gaza with over 50 million tons of rubble – roughly 12 times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. 

With over 100 trucks working full time, it would take over 15 years to clear the rubble away, and there is little open space in the narrow coastal territory that is home to some 2.3million Palestinians.