Cairo: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa to discuss the ongoing efforts to maintain the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, as well as to explore plans for the reconstruction of the region, according to Egypt's government. Madbouly reiterated Egypt's commitment to supporting Palestinians and stressed the significance of ensuring that they remain on their land.
According to Anadolu Agency, Madbouly outlined a reconstruction plan that Egypt has developed, which was recently endorsed by an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo. The plan, approved on March 4, involves a $53 billion initiative aimed at rebuilding Gaza over a five-year period while ensuring that its residents are not displaced. The Egyptian Prime Minister noted that further coordination with regional and international partners, along with Palestinian counterparts, would be necessary to fine-tune the details of the plan's implementation.
Madbouly emphasized the importance of maintaining the ceasefire to halt Palestinian bloodshed and to initiate early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Palestinian Prime Minister Mustafa echoed this sentiment, highlighting the urgency of adhering to the ceasefire to enable progress in recovery and rebuilding efforts.
The situation in Gaza has escalated since the Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the region, leading to the deaths of more than 700 Palestinians and injuring over 1,000, thus shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement established in January. Since October 2023, over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, and more than 113,000 have been injured due to the intense Israeli military actions on Gaza.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Furthermore, Israel faces allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice related to its actions in the enclave.