Palestinians focus on leaving Gaza
Some Palestinians in Gaza informed the Middle for Peace Communications of their need to depart the Hamas dominated enclave. (Video: The Middle For Peace Communications.)
Arab leaders convened in Cairo on Tuesday for an emergency summit geared toward presenting a counterproposal to President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. The summit was held to debate Egypt’s $53 billion complete reconstruction blueprint for Gaza.
Earlier than Trump proposed resettling Gazans outdoors the enclave, Egypt and different Arab states had proven little curiosity in Gaza’s reconstruction. Nevertheless, on condition that Egypt has dominated out accepting displaced Palestinians for “nationwide safety” causes, it now finds itself compelled to plan its personal plan.
With a $53 billion price ticket, the plan is positioned as an alternative choice to Trump’s imaginative and prescient, and key particulars have already been shared by Arab media shops. Whereas Egypt proposes a brief committee to handle Gaza for six months, Palestinians have made it clear that they won’t settle for any governing physique that is not Palestinian or any overseas forces inside Gaza. The plan is projected to take at the very least 4 and a half years.Â
‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST
Folks watch on an enormous display as Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, proper, welcomes Jordan’s King Abdullah II forward of an Arab League summit on Gaza on March 4, 2025. (Khaled Desouki/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
The Egyptian plan is split into two phases: the primary, lasting two years and costing round $20 billion, and the second, spanning two and a half years with a $30 billion allocation. The funds will primarily go towards rebuilding residential areas devastated by battle.Â
Importantly, the plan doesn’t name for the displacement of Gaza’s residents, as Trump’s proposal does, and stresses the significance of Palestinian-led reconstruction efforts, and that the Palestinian Authority will collaborate with Egypt and Jordan to coach a police power for Gaza. However Hamas has already rejected the plan, and the Palestinian Authority has made it clear that it’ll not have interaction in reconstruction efforts so long as Hamas maintains management.
“The Saudis will fund Gaza if there’s a path to a Palestinian state and Hamas is gone,” Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow on the Washington Institute and former govt director of the American Process Drive on Palestine informed Fox Information Digital, “Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar need one thing from the Israelis in return, whether or not it is an finish to the conflict or safety agreements. They’ll insist on a task for the Palestinian Authority, even when symbolic, for diplomatic causes. The query is whether or not the present Israeli authorities can meet these calls for.”
THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP’S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE
A view of the widespread destruction in Gaza, Jabalia, on Feb. 5, 2025. (Youssef Alzanoun/Center East Photos/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
“A militarized Hamas can’t stay in Gaza – the strip should be demilitarized, and Hamas should now not be in management. The Emiratis are much more excessive on this difficulty,” Danny Zaken, a senior commentator for Israel Hayom newspaper, informed Fox Information Digital, “The ultimate draft of the Egyptian plan will keep away from instantly addressing Hamas. As an alternative of stating that Hamas might be eliminated and disarmed, it’s going to say that ‘certified Palestinian safety forces will keep order with Egyptian backing.’ This method goals for unanimous approval with out addressing Hamas’ destiny, however the actuality is that it has no sensible validity, as a result of in that case the plan has no monetary backing,” he defined.
Al-Omari noticed, “Arab League summits are usually a number of posturing. Who’s going to care for safety? The PA can’t deal with that – they’re too weak. No Arab nation needs to ship troops to Gaza, however they’re additionally beneath strain from the U.S. to contribute.”
An Egyptian diplomatic supply informed Fox Information Digital that Egyptian development companies are prepared to start work, however the true problem is political. “Egyptian development corporations are very succesful, and so they can rebuild Gaza in three years – if there may be political will, primarily from Israel and the U.S.,” the supply stated.
King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Donald Trump throughout a gathering within the Oval Workplace of the White Home on Feb. 11, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos)
Whereas Egypt is raring to guide the reconstruction course of, its ambitions have created friction with key Gulf states, that are anticipated to finance a lot of the trouble. Zaken, famous, “The Saudis are involved as a result of the Egyptians need to management the complete course of: Who will get the cash, who oversees the reconstruction, who the contractors are for demolition and rebuilding? And even new housing and motels. The opposite companions fear about corruption within the course of.”
A former U.S. overseas service official warned Fox Information Digital that Egypt’s skill to handle such funds is a priority. “The Gulf, which is predicted to pay for it, is sick and uninterested in Egyptian corruption. In the event that they fund the reconstruction, they’ll demand main oversight to make sure the cash doesn’t get misplaced in Egypt’s energy construction,” the supply stated.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY
Members of the Hamas terror group collect in Gaza in preparation for the discharge of 4 feminine hostages as a part of the ceasefire take care of Israel. (TPS-IL)
In the meantime, Jordan, which has performed a key diplomatic function, has managed to keep away from direct involvement within the reconstruction debate. Following King Abdullah’s assembly with Trump, Jordanian officers felt that the strain had shifted to Egypt and different Arab states. “The Jordanians have been very proud of the end result of the assembly with Trump. They really feel that the strain to just accept [a] million Gazans is off them,” Al-Omari stated.
On the similar time, the broader political way forward for Gaza stays unsure. Al-Omari famous that regardless of the continuing reconstruction discussions, the first concern for Arab leaders is easy methods to navigate Trump’s unpredictable stance on Gaza. “Frankly, the principle considering in Arab governments proper now could be easy methods to have interaction in a covert course of with Trump to stroll him again from this. Nobody expects rapid outcomes, however they do hope that this may transfer Trump away from the thought of depopulating Gaza,” he stated.
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For now, all eyes are on the summit. Nevertheless, as one former diplomatic supply put it, “There’s no actual plan but – simply concepts. Everyone seems to be making an attempt to form it of their favor, however till Hamas’ destiny is resolved, we’re all simply speaking in circles.”
