On Tuesday, Egypt presented a detailed Gaza reconstruction plan at an Arab League Summit in Cairo. The plan received a warm welcome from the Palestinian militant Islamist group Hamas but was rejected by the United States and Israel.
Hamas stated that it was supportive of the plan, demanding all the resources necessary to make it work. The movement, in a statement, commended Egypt for working to hold an international conference to rebuild Gaza. “We welcome the plan to rebuild Gaza and thank Egypt for working on this significant initiative,” Hamas said.
On the other hand, the Trump administration dismissed the offer, arguing that it fails to deal with the harsh realities of life in Gaza, which it described as currently uninhabitable. “Residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance,” a National Security Council spokesman said, reaffirming U.S. commitment to its own proposal for rebuilding Gaza.
Israel also rejected the Egyptian initiative, saying that it does not adequately take into account the present situation in the region. Officials held the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) responsible for corruption and terrorism, which further blurred the prospects of good governance in Gaza.
The rebuilding of Gaza is planned in three phases: interim arrangements, total reconstruction, and governance. The initial phase will last for approximately six months, with four to five years combined for the other two phases. The goal is to rebuild the devastated area following the Israel-Hamas conflict, restore peace and security, and reassert the PA’s control.
The interim phase involves the clearance of debris from Salah al-Din Street, Gaza’s principal north-south artery. Following the clearance, the plan involves the construction of 200,000 temporary shelters in Gaza to accommodate approximately 1.2 million people, as well as the restoration of approximately 60,000 damaged buildings.
Following the interim period, the master plan envisages the construction of at least 400,000 permanent homes, a seaport, and an international airport in subsequent years. In addition, basic services such as water, waste, telecommunication, and power would be restored.
Egypt has proposed a reconstruction fund of $53 billion, which will be divided across the three phases. The funding is expected from various international sources, including the United Nations, international finance institutions, and private sector investment.
