Arab states back Egyptian plan for Gaza's £44bn rebuild
During the summit in Cairo, Arab states accepted the Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which is expected to cost approximately £44 billion and last five years.
According to Reuters, which obtained a draft of the meeting's final communiqué, the Egyptian plan envisions a six-month preparatory phase during which the Gaza Strip will be cleared of debris and residents will receive temporary shelter. Then, the first two-year phase of reconstruction will begin, followed by a second phase lasting two and a half years. In each of these phases, 200,000 housing units will be built. The first phase costs about £17 billion, and the second phase is roughly £25 billion.
The plan does not specify who will finance the reconstruction. Arab states will appeal to the international community for financial support. Arab leaders will also call for elections in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, where the last polls took place nearly twenty years ago.
The issue of governance in the Gaza Strip
The communiqué did not resolve who will govern the Gaza Strip after the war. It only mentioned "support for the Palestinian decision to create a committee to administer the Gaza Strip." Hamas and the Palestinian Authority plan to create a technical committee from Palestinians not affiliated with any faction.
Israel does not agree to governance by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip. Egypt also seeks to remove Hamas from power, proposing an administration controlled by Arab and Western states. Israel might accept the takeover of responsibility by Arab states if it meant the end of Hamas rule.
Reaction to US plans
The meeting of Arab state leaders aimed to oppose the plans of US President Donald Trump regarding the Gaza Strip. Trump proposed that the US take control of the territory, relocate Palestinians to Arab countries, and transform the Gaza Strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East." Arab states unanimously criticised this vision.
The Gaza Strip was devastated by over a 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, in which more than 48,000 Palestinians were killed. The conflict began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths. A temporary ceasefire has been in effect since 19 January, but its extension is uncertain.
