UPDATE 3 - Egypt’s plan for Gaza reconstruction calls for ‘transitional governance arrangements’

ADDS MORE DETAILS

By Ibrahim Khazen and Rania Abu Shamala

CAIRO (AA) - Egypt has drawn up a plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that would require “transitional governance arrangements.”

The state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel, citing the plan, said reconstruction “would require arrangements for transitional governance and security that preserve the prospects of a two-state solution.”

“The two-state solution is the optimal solution from the perspective of international law and the international community,” the plan said.

It stresses that “Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territories,” the channel said.

“Attempts to strip the Palestinian people of hope for statehood or seize their land will only lead to further conflicts and instability,” it warns.

The plan also calls for "the necessity of maintaining the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

According to the channel, the plan said temporary housing would be provided for displaced individuals during the rebuilding process.

The shelters will be established in seven locations within the enclave, accommodating more than 1.5 million people. The cost of reconstruction is estimated at $53 billion, with the entire process to take five years.

The 112-page plan includes detailed maps illustrating how Gaza's lands will be redeveloped. It also features dozens of AI-generated color images showcasing proposed housing projects, parks, and community centers.

The draft states that the early recovery phase will last six months, focusing on debris removal and the installation of temporary shelters. The first phase of reconstruction, expected to last two years, includes the construction of 200,000 housing units at a cost of $20 billion.

The second phase will span two and a half years, with a budget of $30 billion, and will see the construction of another 200,000 housing units along with an airport, while the early recovery plan will be implemented over six months at a cost of $3 billion.

The plan also envisions a commercial seaport, a technology hub, and beachfront hotels.

The Egyptian plan “will take three years to implement and includes early recovery programs and reconstruction efforts running in parallel, while advancing toward a two-state solution as part of a political resolution,” according to Al-Qahera News.

- Gaza administration

The plan includes the formation of a Gaza administration committee to run the enclave for a six-month transitional period. The committee will be independent and composed of nonpartisan "technocrats” operating under the umbrella of the Palestinian government.

It urges the international community to support efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to solidify the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The plan warns that one of the most significant consequences of the ceasefire collapse would be “the obstruction of humanitarian efforts and the reconstruction process.”

It highlights the importance of working on a “gradual proposal” that ensures the Palestinian people’s right to remain on their land and underscores the necessity of respecting their legitimate aspirations to “establish a contiguous state encompassing Gaza and the West Bank.”

The Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, said early Tuesday it would not be part of any administration arrangements in the post-war Gaza Strip on the condition of a national consensus.

- Peacekeeping forces

The Egyptian plan also calls for initiating discussions on managing the early recovery phase in a way that ensures Palestinian ownership. It stresses the importance of approaching Gaza's situation politically and legally in alignment with international legitimacy and UN Security Council resolutions

It underscores the continued efforts of the Palestinian Authority to take further steps in developing its institutions and agencies.

Additionally, it calls for mobilizing political and financial support to back Egyptian and Jordanian efforts in training Palestinian police forces while discussions continue potentially stationing international peacekeeping forces in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The draft calls for Palestinian elections within a year, provided conditions allow, and affirms that Gaza remains an integral part of Palestinian territory.

It also calls for “the establishment of a buffer zone after debris removal and the construction of 20 temporary housing areas with the participation of Egyptian and foreign companies.”

The plan suggests that the UN Security Council may consider the idea of an international presence in the Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and Gaza.

It includes a proposal for issuing a decision to deploy international peacekeeping forces in the Palestinian territories as part of a comprehensive approach to establishing a Palestinian state. It further notes that "the challenge of multiple armed Palestinian factions could be addressed if its root causes are resolved through a credible political process."

The Egyptian plan is expected to be endorsed at an emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday. The meeting is part of Egyptian efforts to formulate a unified Arab stance on the Palestinian issue and present a counterproposal to US plans for the displacement of Gaza's population.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population to develop it into a tourist destination. His plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Nearly 48,400 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 111,000 have been injured in a brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 2023. The assault, which left the enclave in ruins, was paused under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold Jan. 19.

Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to start negotiations on the second phase of a ceasefire deal between Tel Aviv and Hamas.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.