Cairo: An emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday is set to adopt Egypt's comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, as detailed in the draft final communique.
According to Anadolu Agency, the state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel reported that the summit will urge the international community to provide swift support to Egypt's reconstruction plan. The gathering will also endorse Egypt's initiative to organize an international conference on Gaza's rebuilding efforts later this month. The summit aims to consolidate a unified Arab stance on the Palestinian issue and present a counterproposal to the US plans concerning the displacement of Gaza's population.
The Egyptian plan for Gaza's reconstruction emphasizes the need for transitional governance arrangements and security measures that safeguard the prospects of a two-state solution in Gaza. The draft communique underscores that Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territories and warns that attempts to deny the Palestinian people their hope for statehood or seize their land will only result in further conflicts and instability. Furthermore, the plan highlights the necessity of maintaining the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The reconstruction initiative is projected to span three years and includes early recovery programs alongside reconstruction efforts, all while pursuing a political resolution that advances toward a two-state solution. One key component of the plan is the establishment of a buffer zone following debris removal and the construction of 20 temporary housing areas, involving both Egyptian and international companies. Additionally, the plan proposes the formation of a Gaza administration committee to govern the enclave for a six-month transitional period, composed of non-partisan technocrats under the Palestinian government's umbrella.
The US President, Donald Trump, has consistently advocated for taking over Gaza and resettling its population to develop it into a tourist destination, a plan that has been rejected by the Arab world and many other nations as tantamount to ethnic cleansing.
Since October 2023, nearly 48,400 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have been killed, and over 111,000 injured in a devastating Israeli war on Gaza. The onslaught, which left the enclave in ruins, was paused under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that commenced on January 19. However, Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to initiate negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire deal between Tel Aviv and Hamas.
In a significant development last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.