Egypt counters U.S. proposal with Gaza reconstruction plan

Tuesday 18 February 2025 - 10:06

The Egyptian government is advancing a comprehensive plan for rebuilding Gaza, aiming to support recovery without displacing its population. This initiative opposes U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to “take over” Gaza and relocate its residents.

According to Al-Ahram, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced that Cairo is formulating a multi-phase recovery and reconstruction strategy, with the first phase expected to start following the emergency Arab summit in Cairo on February 27. The entire plan could be finalized by next week. Ahead of the summit, officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan are meeting in Riyadh to discuss the proposal.

Trump’s plan, which surfaced after his return to the White House in January, includes resettling Gaza’s over 2 million residents abroad and turning the area into a tourist destination—a proposal condemned by rights groups as “ethnic cleansing” and rejected by Egypt and Jordan.

Egypt’s reconstruction plan will proceed in three phases over five years, according to two Egyptian officials cited by AP. It involves establishing three “safe zones” within Gaza to shelter residents during a six-month early recovery period. Temporary housing and humanitarian aid will be provided, and the effort is expected to create thousands of jobs for local residents.

To fund the reconstruction, Egypt has engaged in talks with European and Arab partners, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. Additionally, an international conference on Gaza’s recovery is under discussion.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed support for Trump’s vision of a “transformed” Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to facilitate “voluntary departure” of Gazan residents to third countries. Despite this, Hamas signaled openness to stepping aside, proposing either a unity government without its participation or a technocratic committee to administer Gaza.