Egyptian, UK leaders stress need for Gaza reconstruction without displacement of residents

By Ibrahim al-Khazen and Ahmed Asmar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the urgent need Friday to promptly begin the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and ensure that Palestinians are not displaced, according to a statement by the Egyptian Presidency.

It came during a phone conversation where they discussed relations as well as regional developments.

Al-Sisi reviewed his country's efforts to implement a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the exchange of detainees and hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the statement added.

US President Donald Trump said Washington would "take over" Gaza, turn it into a tourist destination, and displace Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan and other countries. He also shared an AI clip of his vision for the territory that has been devastated by Israel's war. The plan has been criticized as a blueprint for ethnic cleansing.

Israel has killed more than 48,300 Palestinians in Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, and flattened almost all structures in the enclave. A three-phased ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange is currently in effect.