In attempts to provide a viable alternative to United States President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to “take over” Gaza and displace its population, the Egyptian government is developing a plan to rebuild the enclave without displacing the Palestinian enclave’s population.
Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty was reported by state-run newspaper as saying that Cairo is “actively developing a comprehensive, multi-phase plan for Gaza’s early recovery and reconstruction.”
The newspaper added that Egypt expects to finalise the plan “by next week”, while its first phase should begin “after the emergency Arab summit in Cairo”, currently scheduled for February 27, 2025.
Before that, Saudi Arabia will host officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan on Thursday, as part of a five-way Arab meeting in the capital Riyadh to discuss Cairo’s proposed reconstruction.
With this initiative, Egypt could set a precedent for a more compassionate, diplomatic approach to resolving the Gaza crisis—one that could pave the way for international cooperation and stability in a region long ravaged by conflict.
Trump has caused international uproar since he returned to the White House in late January, as he has repeatedly suggested the US could “take over” and “own” Gaza, permanently resettle its Palestinian population of more than 2 million people, and redevelop the enclave into a holiday destination.
Trump has pressured both Egypt and Jordan to take in Gaza’s residents as part of the plan, in a proposal robustly rejected by both countries and decried as “ethnic cleansing” by rights groups.
Part of Cairo’s plan is to establish “secure areas” within Gaza where Palestinians can live while dozens of Egyptian and international construction firms remove and rehabilitate the Strip’s war-torn infrastructure.
The newspaper said that Egypt’s formulation of its own plan was designed to “refute American President Trump’s logic”, as well as counter “any other visions or plans that aim to change the geographic and demographic structure of Gaza Strip.”
According to two Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the proposed reconstruction process will have three phases that will take up to five years.
They disclosed that Palestinians will be allowed to remain in Gaza during reconstruction, with three “safe zones” established within the territory to host them during an initial six-month “early recovery period.”
They added that mobile houses and shelters will be erected in the safe zones, while humanitarian aid will be allowed to stream in.
The reconstruction effort will also provide tens of thousands of jobs to Gaza’s population.
Cairo has also held discussions about ways to finance their plan with European diplomats, as well as Arab partners Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, citing Arab and European diplomats.
An international conference on Gaza’s reconstruction has also been floated, according to two of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity as the proposal is still being negotiated.
Egypt’s proposal offers an opportunity for a more sustainable, peaceful resolution—one that avoids the destabilizing effects of mass displacement while also promoting self-sufficiency and recovery.
Netanyahu Committed To Trump’s Plan For Gaza
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he remains “committed” to Trump’s plan for the “creation of a different Gaza.”
Netanyahu promised that “neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority” will govern Gaza at the end of Israel’s 15-month war on the enclave, which has seen more than 48,000 Palestinians killed and sparked a humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
Netanyahu’s remarks came after a report that Hamas was prepared to hand over control of Gaza to its West Bank-based rival, the semi-autonomous Palestinian Authority (PA), following pressure from mediator Egypt.
Netanyahu’s latest comments will weigh heavily over the future of the month-old truce after it almost collapsed last week following news of Trump’s surprise plan for the US to “take over” Gaza and “relocate” its 2.3 million people to countries such as Egypt and Jordan.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz announced that he will establish a special directorate for the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from the coastal enclave.
Katz’s office said that Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) presented an initial proposal which would see “any Gaza resident who wants to emigrate to a third state” be given “extensive assistance” to do so.
While Israel aligns with Trump’s agenda, Egypt’s plan points out that peace cannot be achieved through forced displacement.
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