Cairo: Egypt unveiled a proposal for the UN Security Council on Monday to consider establishing an international presence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. This came during a meeting held in Cairo between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, foreign ambassadors, and international representatives to discuss the rehabilitation of Gaza's healthcare sector.
According to Anadolu Agency, the proposal was highlighted by Abdelatty, who stated that there is an initiative for the Security Council to study the establishment of an international presence in these regions. This would involve adopting a Security Council resolution to deploy peacekeeping or international protection forces with clear mandates and powers, aiming for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The current stage of the proposal was not specified by the Egyptian Foreign Minister. An emergency Arab summit on Gaza held in Egypt on March 4 previously called for the deployment of peacekeeping forces in Gaza and the West Bank, aligning with efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry reported that an Arab plan for rebuilding Gaza, which focuses on retaining its Palestinian inhabitants, has gained significant regional and international support. Abdelatty emphasized the importance of stabilizing a ceasefire in Gaza, managing early recovery and reconstruction efforts to ensure Palestinian ownership, and treating Gaza as an integral part of Palestinian territory.
Abdelatty also stressed the necessity for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza and assume its responsibilities. Furthermore, he noted that Egypt and Jordan have commenced training Palestinian police officers for future deployment in Gaza.
The conflict has resulted in over 48,500 Palestinian casualties, predominantly women and children, with more than 112,000 injuries since October 2023. The devastation in Gaza was halted by a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement effective from January 19.
In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.