Ask Haviv Anything Episode 47: Building a new Gaza, with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib
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Oct 3, 2025 Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian-American analyst and director at the Atlantic Council, shares his insights on the future of Gaza. He discusses the feasibility of Trump's Gaza plan, highlighting the potential for a regional stabilization force to succeed where others have failed. With personal ties to Gaza, he emphasizes the need for Palestinian-led governance to counter Hamas and the role of civil society in creating a new leadership. Alkhatib also explores how the current conflict might diminish Hamas's appeal among Gazans.
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Plan Reframes The War's Purpose
- The Trump plan publicly ties Israel to a 'better day' for Gaza and frames the war as about rebuilding, not ethnic cleansing.
- That shift forces new political calculations for Israeli leaders and Palestinian actors alike.
Hostages, Leverage, And Transitional Phases
- Removing Hamas's chief bargaining chip (the hostages) weakens its leverage in negotiations.
- A phased transitional period is essential to implement complex post-war steps without collapsing the whole plan.
Phase The Transition, Move Modularly
- Use a modular, phased implementation to allow conditional progress and avoid collapse if one element fails.
- Prioritize stabilization steps that can proceed even if other components stall.