Egypt has rejected any proposals that would see it administer the Gaza Strip for any period of time, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ambassador Tamim Khallaf.
Khallaf’s statement on Wednesday was in response to questions from journalists regarding a proposal by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid. Lapid had suggested Egypt administer Gaza for at least eight years in exchange for international aid to alleviate Egypt’s foreign debt. Lapid also said the mandate could be extended to 15 years.
Khallaf reaffirmed Egypt’s “steadfast position” that Israel must withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories and that an independent Palestinian state must be established. He also emphasised the “organic connection” between Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, asserting they are Palestinian territories that must be under full Palestinian sovereignty.
Lapid claimed the plan would not impede the return of over 1.8 million displaced Palestinians to their homes and that Egypt would work with Arab nations to achieve security and reconstruction in the region. He stated that resolving the Gaza issue was necessary for Israel to finalise a regional alliance with Arab countries against Iran.
Lapid envisioned a security mechanism involving Israel, Egypt, the United States, and Arab countries to coordinate security in Gaza, but did not provide details. He stated, “The Egyptians ruled Gaza before, and they know how to do it.” Lapid said he had not discussed the plan with Egyptian officials directly but had spoken with “leaders throughout the region.”
Lapid’s proposal, which he presented as an eight-point plan, included a continuation of the current ceasefire until the final stage is completed, with the release of all hostages and Israeli forces remaining on the outer borders of Gaza. It also suggested Egyptian administration of Gaza under a UN Security Council resolution, including internal security and civil affairs.
The proposal defined this administration as a “trusteeship” aimed at handing Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority within eight to fifteen years, following reforms and counter-extremism efforts. Lapid’s plan also envisioned the initiation of reconstruction and rehabilitation overseen by Egypt, with participation from Saudi Arabia and countries of the Abraham Accords, as well as cooperation between the United States and Egypt regarding investments in Gaza, in line with the Trump plan.
Furthermore, the plan suggested that Egypt would allow Gaza residents who wish to leave to do so in an organised manner, provided they have a specific destination, and that Egypt would undertake efforts to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza, destroy tunnels, and dismantle remaining terrorist infrastructure. Finally, the proposal included the establishment of a joint security mechanism between Egypt, Israel, and the United States to address security threats.
Lapid cited security coordination between the Israeli army, the Palestinian Authority, the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the Egyptian army in Sinai as examples for the Gaza plan.
Egypt has constantly reiterated the importance of achieving lasting peace in the region through the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, emphasizing that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the only guarantee for peace and stability in the Middle East. The country previously rejected proposals by US President Donald Trump that suggested the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi asserted that Egypt “cannot participate in the injustice of displacing the Palestinian people.” President Al-Sisi declared that such displacement “can never be tolerated or allowed.”
