The Unlikely Architect: How Yakir Gabay’s Century-Old Family Ties Led to Trump’s Gaza Board 

Yakir Gabay, an Israeli-Cypriot billionaire real estate magnate with a reported €30 billion empire in Europe, was appointed to the U.S.-led Gaza Executive Board due to a unique confluence of his deep family roots in Gaza—where his great-grandfather was a major Jewish landowner and merchant a century ago—his decades of high-finance and development expertise, and his cultivated close personal ties to key figures in Donald Trump’s circle, including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, positioning him as a controversial private-sector architect for a postwar Gaza plan that currently lacks Palestinian representation and hinges on the disarmament of Hamas.

The Unlikely Architect: How Yakir Gabay’s Century-Old Family Ties Led to Trump’s Gaza Board 

The appointment of Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay to a key U.S.-led council shaping Gaza’s future is more than a diplomatic maneuver. It represents the convergence of generational family history, a formidable real estate empire, and privileged access to the highest levels of American power, casting a private businessman in an unprecedented public role. 

On January 17, 2026, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced the formation of a “Gaza Executive Board” as part of his “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict”. Among its members—which include Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff—was the name Yakir Gabay, a 60-year-old real estate magnate with a net worth estimated at $4 billion. His inclusion marks a significant, and symbolic, choice for a body tasked with overseeing Gaza’s transition from war to reconstruction. 

A Legacy Written in Gaza’s Land 

Gabay’s connection to Gaza is not newfound professional interest; it is woven into his family’s history for over a century. His great-grandfather was Hacham David Amos, a prominent Jewish merchant and land redeemer in Gaza during the late Ottoman and British Mandate periods. 

Amos was a central figure in the region’s economic life. He exported barley and watermelons to Europe and partnered in building the first pier at the Port of Gaza in 1910. His most significant legacy, however, was in land. Historical accounts note he acquired approximately 100,000 dunams (around 25,000 acres) of land near Egyptian Rafah, with the intention of establishing Jewish settlement. Amos and his family were forced to leave Gaza following the 1929 Arab riots, leaving a family narrative of commerce, land, and displacement unresolved for generations. 

“With the appointment of David Amos’ great-great-grandson to the Peace Council for Gaza’s rehabilitation, a family circle has closed,” said Eti Ashad, a relative and longtime spokeswoman for the Israeli Justice Ministry. “The grandson of the grandson has come to complete what the grandfather began”. 

From Regulator to Real Estate Titan 

Gabay’s path to the boardroom was paved with elite education and high-finance credentials, far from the real estate deals that would make his fortune. 

• Education: He earned both a BA in Economics and Accounting and an MBA in Finance from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

• Early Career: He began his career in the Prospectus Department of Israel’s Securities Authority, the nation’s equivalent of the SEC. He then rose to become CEO of the investment banking division of Bank Leumi, one of Israel’s largest banks, in the mid-1990s. 

• Initial Capital: His break came when he brokered a deal for brothers Eddie and Jules Trump (no relation to the president) to acquire control of the investment firm Gmul. Appointed its chairman, Gabay received a 13% stake, providing the initial capital for his empire. 

Gabay’s business model, initiated in 2004, was prescient: identify undervalued urban properties in key European cities, acquire them, improve them, and manage them efficiently for strong, steady returns. He executed this through two Frankfurt-listed vehicles: 

Through these companies, Gabay built a €30 billion European real estate empire, earning a BBB+ credit rating from Standard & Poor’s and a personal fortune that placed him among the world’s billionaires. 

The Network: Access to the Trump Inner Circle 

Gabay’s business success alone did not secure his seat on the Gaza Executive Board. His appointment was the product of years of cultivated relationships with the architects of Trump’s foreign policy. 

• Jared Kushner: Gabay has maintained close personal ties with Kushner for over a decade. They have been seen dining together in Tel Aviv, and their connection is bolstered by shared interests in international real estate and Middle East investment. 

• Steve Witkoff: The U.S. Special Envoy and Trump’s real estate magnate friend is another key link. Gabay has developed close ties with Witkoff in recent years. 

• Tony Blair: The former UK Prime Minister was the guest of honor at Gabay’s son’s bar mitzvah, indicating a relationship beyond official channels. 

These connections translated into policy influence. For months before his appointment, Gabay was part of a private group chat with some of America’s most powerful business leaders, discussing strategy to “change the narrative” in favor of Israel after October 7th. Members received private briefings from Israeli officials and even held a video call with New York City Mayor Eric Adams about campus protests related to Gaza. 

Role on the Gaza Executive Board: Businessman as Peacemaker 

The structure of Trump’s Gaza plan is multi-layered, and Gabay’s role is specifically within its operational core. 

• The Board of Peace: A high-level council chaired by President Trump, including invited world leaders. 

• The Executive Board: Includes figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. They provide strategic oversight. 

• The Gaza Executive Board: This is the on-the-ground operational body that Gabay joined. It supports the Palestinian-led technocratic committee (NCAG) managing daily governance and reports to the High Representative, Nickolay Mladenov. 

While his specific portfolio is not yet public, Gabay’s own statement and background suggest his focus will be on economic reconstruction and development. He has stated he intends to work to realize “the president’s vision of peace through development, construction, prosperity and a free economy in the Gaza Strip”. His unparalleled experience in large-scale, value-add real estate investment in complex urban environments positions him as a natural candidate to help devise and attract investment for Gaza’s physical reconstruction. 

Controversies and Challenges Ahead 

Gabay’s appointment, while logical from the administration’s perspective, is not without significant controversy and challenge. 

• The Palestinian Omission: A glaring issue noted by observers is that the announced founding members of the executive boards include no Palestinians. This risks the perception of a plan imposed from the outside without meaningful local ownership. 

• The “Precondition”: Gabay himself has echoed the official U.S. and Israeli stance, stating that “the complete disarmament of Hamas is a precondition for implementing the development plan”. This condition, while a stated goal of the broader Trump plan, remains a formidable and potentially protracted obstacle. 

• The “Private” Israeli: Gabay has been careful to frame his role as that of an international businessman, not an official representative of Israel. This distinction may be difficult to maintain in practice, as his identity and deep-rooted family history in the region are intrinsically tied to the Israeli narrative. 

Yakir Gabay’s journey to the Gaza Executive Board is a story of historical irony, financial acumen, and political access. He is a man whose family’s dreams for Gaza were ruptured by violence a century ago, and who now returns, armed with colossal resources and powerful friends, to shape its future. Whether he can help translate a businessman’s blueprint for development into a viable foundation for lasting peace will be one of the most delicate tests of Trump’s ambitious—and contentious—vision for the region.