Details emerged Thursday regarding Egypt's reconstruction plan for the war-torn Gaza Strip, which reportedly would include a pledge to rebuild the territory without relocating Palestinians or threatening the grip on power held by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
It appears to run counter to President Donald Trump's ambition to "permanently" relocate Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt, with the U.S. eventually taking over control of the Gaza Strip. Egypt on Tuesday announced its intention to present its own Gaza reconstruction plan after canceling a scheduled trip by its president, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, to the White House on Feb. 18.
"[Egypt's] plan also seeks to revitalize the local economy, helping Gaza recover from this devastating aggression and restore minimum livable conditions before transitioning to a full reconstruction phase," Mohamed Hegazy, Egypt's ambassador to the United Nations office in Geneva and a former Egyptian Foreign Minister, told the Cairo-based Al-Ahram media outlet.
Hegazy described the reconstruction plan as a chance to reaffirm global support and secure the funds and material for immediate implementation.
"This is crucial to saving the people of Gaza from catastrophe and paving the way for the success of the early recovery phase, followed by reconstruction," he said. "The international community [must not] fail them again on a humanitarian level, as it may have failed them politically."
According to Al-Arabiya TV in Cairo, the reconstruction plan includes building safe housing units within 18 months and designate safe zones within Gaza to relocate residents during the first six months. The plan will involve 24 multinational companies in reconstruction efforts, including debris removal in specific areas, within six months.
Al-Arabiya also reported that Egypt will complete its plan by next week and that it will propose to initiate the first phase following an emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Feb. 27. The network further referenced ongoing talks between Egypt and Arab countries to prepare for a Gaza reconstruction conference with broad European participation.
"Cairo confirmed that several European countries have expressed their willingness to participate in Gaza's reconstruction efforts," Al-Arabiya reported.
Hegazy said the Cairo summit will solidify a framework that supports the Palestinian presence and reject calls for forced displacement.
"The mere call for the displacement of a people from their land is a war crime being committed openly, and any action or statement in this direction should, in principle, be prosecuted," he said.
Hegazy said such a position is upheld not only by Egypt and the Arab world but also by the international community, including European nations and global institutions, which have condemned such talk as a violation of international law and U.N. resolutions.
"The possibility of the crisis escalating to a point that threatens the foundations of peace in the region is a serious concern," he said.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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