By JULIA FRANKEL, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Modern cities with sleek high-rises, a pristine coastline that attracts tourists, and a state-of-the-art port that juts into the Mediterranean. This is what Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, says Gaza could become, according to a presentation he gave at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In his 10-minute speech on Thursday, Kushner claimed it would be possible — if there’s security — to quickly rebuild Gaza’s cities, which are now in ruins after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

Jared Kushner speaks after the signing of a Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“In the Middle East, they build cities like this … in three years,” said Kushner, who helped broker the ceasefire in place since October. “And so stuff like this is very doable, if we make it happen.”

That timeline is at odds with what the United Nations and Palestinians expect will be a very long process to rehabilitate Gaza. Across the territory of roughly 2 million people, former apartment blocks are hills of rubble, unexploded ordnance lurks beneath the wreckage, disease spreads because of sewage-tainted water and city streets look like dirt canyons.

The United Nations Office for Project Services says Gaza has more than 60 million tons of rubble, enough to fill nearly 3,000 container ships. That will take over seven years to clear, they say, and then additional time is needed for demining.

Kushner spoke as Trump and an assortment of world leaders gathered to ratify the charter of the Board of Peace, the body that will oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction process.

Here are key takeaways from the presentation, and some questions raised by it:

Reconstruction hinges on security

Kushner said his reconstruction plan would only work if Gaza has “security” — a big “if.”

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It remains uncertain whether Hamas will disarm, and Israeli troops fire upon Palestinians in Gaza on a near-daily basis.

Officials from Hamas say they have the right to resist Israeli occupation. But they have said they would consider “freezing” their weapons as part of a process to achieve Palestinian statehood.

Since the latest ceasefire took effect Oct. 10, Israeli troops have killed at least 470 Palestinians in Gaza, including young children and women, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Israel says it has opened fire in response to violations of the ceasefire, but dozens of civilians have been among the dead.

In the face of these challenges, the Board of Peace has been working with Israel on “de-escalation,” Kushner said, and is turning its attention to the demilitarization of Hamas — a process that would be managed by the U.S.-backed Palestinian committee overseeing Gaza.

It’s far from certain that Hamas will yield to the committee, which goes by the acronym NCAG and is envisioned eventually handing over control of Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Hamas says it will dissolve the government to make way, but has been vague about what will happen to its forces or weapons. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the Palestinian Authority.

Another factor that could complicate disarmament: the existence of competing armed groups in Gaza, which Kushner’s presentation said would either be dismantled or “integrated into NCAG.” During the war, Israel has supported armed groups and gangs of Palestinians in Gaza in what it says is a move to counter Hamas.

Without security, Kushner said, there would be no way to draw investors to Gaza and or stimulate job growth. The latest joint estimate from the U.N., the European Union and the World Bank is that rebuilding Gaza will cost $70 billion.

Reconstruction would not begin in areas that are not fully disarmed, one of Kushner’s slides said.

Kushner’s plan avoids mention of what Palestinians do in the meantime

When unveiling his plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, Kushner did not say how demining would be handled or where Gaza’s residents would live as their areas are being rebuilt. At the moment, most families are sheltering in a stretch of land that includes parts of Gaza City and most of Gaza’s coastline.

In Kushner’s vision of a future Gaza, there would be new roads and a new airport — the old one was destroyed by Israel more than 20 years ago — plus a new port, and an area along the coastline designated for “tourism” that is currently where most Palestinians live. The plan calls for eight “residential areas” interspersed with parks, agricultural land and sports facilities.

Also highlighted by Kushner were areas for “advanced manufacturing,” “data centers,” and an “industrial complex,” though it is not clear what industries they would support.

Kushner said construction would first focus on building “workforce housing” in Rafah, a southern city that was decimated during the war and is currently controlled by Israeli troops. He said rubble-clearing and demolition were already underway there.

Kushner did not address whether demining would occur. The United Nations says unexploded shells and missiles are everywhere in Gaza, posing a threat to people searching through rubble to find their relatives, belongings, and kindling.

Rights groups say rubble clearance and demining activities have not begun in earnest in the zone where most Palestinians live because Israel has prevented the entry of heavy machinery.

After Rafah will come the reconstruction of Gaza City, Kushner said, or “New Gaza,” as his slide calls it. The new city could be a place where people will “have great employment,” he said.

Will Israel ever agree to this?

Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the board’s initial concept for redeveloping Gaza as “totally unrealistic” and an indication Trump views it from a real estate developer’s perspective, not a peacemaker’s.

A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable to Israel because each would provide a clear view of its military bases near the border, said Bar-Yaacov, who is an associate fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

What’s more, Kushner’s presentation said the NCAG would eventually hand off oversight of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority after it makes reforms. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adamantly opposed any proposal for postwar Gaza that involves the Palestinian Authority. And even in the West Bank, where it governs, the Palestinian Authority is widely unpopular because of corruption and perceived collaboration with Israel.

Danica Kirka contributed from London.

Today is Friday, Jan. 23, the 23rd day of 2026. There are 342 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 23, 1986, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inducted its first members, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis Presley.

Also on this date:

In 1368, China’s Ming dynasty, which lasted nearly three centuries, began as Zhu Yuanzhang (zhoo whan-zhahng) was formally acclaimed Hongwu Emperor, following the collapse of the Yuan dynasty.

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In 1789, Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington, D.C.

In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

In 1870, approximately 200 Piegan Blackfoot tribe members, mostly women, children and older adults, were killed by U.S. Army troops under the command of Major Eugene Mortimer Baker in Montana, in what became known as the Baker Massacre.

In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.

In 1997, Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the United States’ first female secretary of state.

In 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by extremists in Pakistan while researching Islamic militant groups, leading to the beheading of the American journalist weeks later in captivity.

In 2018, at age 33, LeBron James became the youngest NBA player to reach the 30,000 career-point milestone.

In 2020, Democratic House prosecutors presented arguments before skeptical Senate jurors at Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial over his dealings with Ukraine, accusing him of abuse of power. (The Republican-led Senate would later vote to acquit Trump, and he would also be acquitted at another impeachment trial in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot).

Today’s birthdays:

Football Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer is 90.
Jazz musician Gary Burton is 83.
Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 76.
Retired airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (‘Miracle on the Hudson’ landing) is 75.
Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 73.
Princess Caroline of Monaco is 69.
Singer Anita Baker is 68.
Actor Mariska Hargitay is 62.
Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan is 57.
CBS News senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell is 52.
Actor Tiffani Thiessen is 52.
Actor Jack Reynor is 34.
Singer and actress Rachel Crow is 28.

Minnesota had a chance to pull out a much-needed win on a night it didn’t play very well at home Thursday against Chicago. But it didn’t get enough from its best player, so instead the Timberwolves fell, 120-115, to the Bulls for the team’s fourth-straight defeat.

Anthony Edwards has been superhuman with his shot making at the ends of games for much of the season. The rate at which he hit such consequential shots wasn’t sustainable. So a dip like the one he’s experienced the last two games — Edwards is 2 for 10 in clutch-time minutes in Minnesota’s last two losses to Utah and Chicago — isn’t all that surprising.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards reacts toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

It was bound to happen eventually.

But the misses didn’t need to coincide with some of the mental lapses Edwards endured in the 70 seconds of Thursday’s loss.

With Minnesota leading by four and 1 minute, 10 seconds to play, Edwards got lackadaisical in his off-ball defense while guarding Chicago’s most potent scorer, Coby White. Josh Giddey hit White in the corner, and Edwards didn’t deliver a meaningful contest as White buried a triple to pull Chicago within one.

“He just stopped short,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “He’s got to get all the way out there with a better contest.”

Edwards credited the pass from Giddey, noting he didn’t expect the corner feed.

“So my reaction … I was stuck in quicksand when he caught the ball. It felt like it,” Edwards said. “So, I couldn’t really get a contest. I know I’mma get cussed out about that one (in the film session).”

On Minnesota’s ensuing offensive possession, Edwards simply dropped a pass from Julius Randle, which led to a Bulls steal. Then, on a Chicago sideline in-bounds play, Edwards didn’t commit to helping off an action, which gave Tre Jones an easy path to the rim for the go-ahead bucket.

“Coach drew up a good play and they bit on (the action),” Jones said, “so I was able to get into the lane and get a layup to go.”

“I just got to play better in a game like tonight,” Edwards said.

He largely lamented his shooting performance. The superstar’s 20 points came on a 9-for-25 showing from the field. Edwards is always quick to gauge an evening based on his offensive output.

But it was Minnesota’s defense that again did the Wolves in. Outside of a strong first few minutes Thursday, the Timberwolves slipped back into their poor defensive form that cost them games in San Antonio and then, most notably, Utah. T

That the embarrassing loss to the tanking Jazz didn’t awaken Minnesota on the defensive end is a bit alarming. Again against Chicago, Minnesota failed to contain the ball off the bounce and didn’t rotate well when it was forced to help after being beat at the point of attack.

“We have no defensive personality right now,” Finch said.

That’s a problem. Because, when the Wolves are at their best, that’s their defining trait. Edwards is frequently at the center of those efforts. When he’s dialed in, Minnesota is tough to beat. The 24-year-old guard is the Wolves’ lightning bolt, the man capable of supercharging the team performance and reversing the current rough course Minnesota is charting.

Wolves forward Julius Randle said “a lot of effort” is required for Minnesota to the elite form it’d appeared to capture just a week ago.

“We know what we have to do to be better in (the energy) department,” Randle said. “It’s a long season. There’s going to be ups and downs. A week ago we could’ve looked like the best team in basketball, and this week we can look like the worst. We just gotta find a way to find a consistency. Whatever we gotta do to recover, get our mind right, our energy right, our focus right, we gotta do it. It’s coming to hurt us. We do it sometimes and then we take our foot off the gas. We gotta find a way to find that energy consistently and play a full 48.”

If Edwards can lead the charge on that front, everyone else tends to fall in line. He didn’t do so Thursday, and his team suffered in kind.

“If I play halfway like myself (against Chicago), we win the game,” Edwards said. “So I don’t really blame nobody but myself.”

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By Mike Vorel, The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — Mike Macdonald set the path to this point.

On Wednesday, the Seahawks posted a video of Macdonald’s first team meeting on social media. It was April 8, 2024, and the fresh-faced 36-year-old coach faced the cast he inherited from Pete Carroll. He faced a team with a frustratingly fixed ceiling, and a single playoff win in the previous seven years. He faced the weight of enormous opportunity, the kind that propels some and exposes others. He faced Leonard Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon and more.

He faced the future, a path he had yet to pave.

“One of the things I want you guys to feel going through this program is that we have a vision for you and this football team,” Macdonald said, with a sheet in one hand and a clicker in the other. “I want us to take a minute here and fast-forward to January at the NFC championship. It’s 30-something degrees. It’s wet. It’s windy. It’s [expletive] for them, but it’s just right for us. We’re loose. We’re focused. We’re confident. We just spent the last nine months stacking every opportunity.

“The team across from us in the other locker room, they’ve seen the tape. They know what they’re in for — 11 guys playing as one, every snap. They know that we’re like that. They know they’re facing a bunch of men that won’t give up. They know they’re facing a team that won’t die, that won’t quit. They know. It’s inevitable. So let’s go to work.”

Macdonald’s vision was inevitable. We know that now.

But the path had potholes. Twenty-one months, one starting quarterback, one offensive coordinator, one erratic wide receiver and several starting linebackers later, the Seahawks are here. On Sunday they’ll host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship game — after securing a division title, home-field advantage and the No. 1 playoff seed. After dispatching the San Francisco 49ers decisively, in back to back games. After showing the world that they’re like that.

This is not an accident or a coincidence. It’s a masterpiece made of a million brush strokes. It’s a path paved with bricks, with sweat and blood and grit, by grinders bought into a larger goal. Forging the future. Making it real.

As Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV said after Saturday’s 41-6 divisional round win over San Francisco: “Mike’s the biggest thing — just being able to start Day 1 [and say], ‘Hey, this is what type of team we’re going to be. But we can’t be that team unless we work for it.’ He’s constantly had us working at it.”

Perfection was never the point. Quite the contrary.

Macdonald is the biggest reason the Seahawks are here. Because his ego has never been bigger than his hunger to grow. Because he’s laid bricks alongside everyone else.

“I think what makes Mike special is he practices what he preaches,” said Williams, a second-team All-Pro in his second season with Macdonald. “He’s always talking about chasing edges. He’s always talking about what’s important now. He openly will talk to us about what he has to work on as a coach. He talks about where he lacks and where he wants to grow.

“You see the growth. I think him setting that standard as a leader seeps into the rest of the team and allows us to feel like we can be that same way. It allows us to show vulnerabilities where we’re weak and let other guys know that’s where we need to grow. It just creates an open dynamic where, when we’re in the film room and we’re coaching things, you don’t see guys getting offended. It’s like, ‘OK, this is something we need to attack.’ We’re not attacking the player. We’re attacking the problem.”

Macdonald and general manager John Schneider — who on Thursday was named NFL Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America — have spent 21 months attacking problems. When the Seahawks’ run defense struggled in 2024, they traded for Jones and instantly improved. When quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf requested trades, they signed Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp, elevated Smith-Njigba … and upgraded. When the Seahawks offense sputtered, they fired coordinator Ryan Grubb and hired Klint Kubiak. When the offensive line lacked, they drafted North Dakota State standout Grey Zabel.

When key contributors went down, they inserted Drake Thomas, Ty Okada, Josh Jones, Brandon Pili, Patrick O’Connell, Cody White, Dareke Young, etc., and won anyway.

When the Rams torched a typically dominant defense for 581 total yards, 457 passing yards, 26 first downs, 6.6 yards per play and four touchdowns on Dec. 18 … well, just you wait.

Do you have any doubt Macdonald will respond Sunday?

“Any time the result doesn’t go your way, I got a big hand in how we play, too,” said Macdonald, whose defense allowed an NFL-best 17.2 points per game in the regular season. “There’s several [play calls] in that game that you want back. It stings that that’s the case, but that’s the case. So you’ve got to confront it and say, ‘OK, what are the things we can do throughout the week to put ourselves in better situations, where we can help our guys out more?’

“That’s the mentality. It was the same thing after [a loss to] Tampa Bay. You can feel it in real time. When your guys are in a certain position and it’s not necessarily advantageous for them, it turns out that’s on the design of the play and what you’re asking them to do.”

Macdonald’s vision was inevitable only because the Seahawks made it so.

And the message, like the path, was peppered with potholes.

When asked about his suddenly viral speech Wednesday, Macdonald smiled and said: “It’s funny, when [Seahawks chief communications officer Dave Pearson] showed me that, all I was thinking about was how nervous I was going to the first team meeting. I don’t know if you could tell. That was a good editing job by our people. There’s probably some more awkward pauses throughout that. …

“Everybody talks about what your first message to the team is going to be. It’s really overblown, frankly. You think about, ‘What am I going to talk to the team about? What’s the first thing? I don’t want to say the wrong thing.’ But it just came to me. I think God just allowed me to take the pressure away and said, ‘This is what you should say.’ It was pretty powerful. It’s pretty awesome.”

As was the path from purgatory to the brink of a Super Bowl.

But Macdonald’s forecast was less prophetic. Meteorologists call for dry skies Sunday.

The Seahawks will have to make life [expletive] for the Rams in other ways.