CAIRO – 16 March 2025: Egypt is actively working to galvanize international support for the implementation of the Gaza reconstruction plan recently adopted by Arab and Muslim leaders during the emergency Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4.
These efforts coincide with attempts to advance the ceasefire, which took effect on January 19 and halted a brutal Israeli offensive on the enclave that began in October 2023, but has been in limbo for the past two weeks.
While the Israeli military activities have not resumed in Gaza, Tel Aviv has halted humanitarian aid and power supply to the enclave to exert pressure on Hamas.
The first phase of the ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, expired on March 1 after Hamas released 38 captives, including eight bodies, most of whom were taken during the October 7 attacks.
Israel wants an extension to the first phase to secure the release of more captives without transitioning to the second phase that includes full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas said it will only release captives under the second phase.
On Friday, Hamas approved the release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other dual nationals if Israel initiates the next phase of ceasefire talks, which aim for a permanent end to the war.
Israel, however, dismissed the offer as "manipulation and psychological warfare."
Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty briefed his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, about the early recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza during a phone call on Saturday.
Abdelatty emphasized that Egypt will work to mobilize the necessary support for the plan's implementation, alongside efforts to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza and execute all three phases of the agreement.
Additionally, Egypt plans to host a global conference for Gaza reconstruction in cooperation with the Palestinian government and the United Nations, Abdelatty confirmed.
The $53 billion plan, presented by Egypt during an extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo earlier in March, has been endorsed by Arab leaders and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and has received support from the European Union and several European states.
This five-year plan aims to secure permanent housing for the 2 million residents of Gaza, most of whom have been displaced by the war, while establishing essential services and vital infrastructure, including an airport.
The war in Gaza, which has lasted nearly a year and a half, has killed over 48,500 people, predominantly among women and children, and has injured nearly 112,000 others, displacing most of the population.
According to UN estimates, the war has devastated more than 60 percent of homes and 65 percent of roads, leaving about 51 million tons of rubble covering the enclave.
The Arab initiative serves as an alternative to a proposal unveiled by US President Donald Trump in February to "take over" Gaza and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," a plan that sparked global and Arab backlash.
Contrary to Trump’s proposal, which encompasses a permanent relocation of the Palestinians in Gaza outside their lands, the Arab plan ensures residents remain on their lands while the territory is being rebuilt.
Sun, Mar. 16, 2025
