The concluding statement of the emergency Arab summit convened on Tuesday, has adopted the Egyptian plan for the future of Gaza and its reconstruction. The statement calls upon the international community and financial institutions to provide swift support for the plan, which estimates the total cost of rebuilding Gaza at $53bn, with a five-year timeframe for completion.
The emergency Arab summit on Palestine took place in Cairo to address the plan for early recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, alongside recent developments in the region. Egypt has formulated a comprehensive Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, aiming to prevent the displacement of Palestinians and thwart any attempts to resolve the Palestinian issue at their expense.
The summit reviewed the Arab plan for Gaza’s future. It addresses the ambitions of US President Donald Trump regarding the region, whose previous statements suggesting US control over Gaza, the displacement of its inhabitants, and the area’s redevelopment into a “Middle Eastern Riviera,” sparked widespread Arab condemnation.
The Arab leaders endorsed the Palestinian decision to form an administrative committee composed of competent individuals from Gaza to manage the Strip’s affairs during a transitional period. The final statement welcomed the convening of an international conference in Cairo this month to support the reconstruction of Gaza, urging international backing for the Egyptian initiative.
According to the plan, the early recovery phase is projected to last six months, focusing on clearing rubble and installing temporary housing. The first phase of reconstruction is expected to take two years and will include the construction of 200,000 housing units, costing an estimated $20bn. The second phase, budgeted at $30bn and spanning two and a half years, will involve building an additional 200,000 residential units, as well as an airport in Gaza.
The Arab leaders called for elections in all Palestinian territories within one year, contingent on the establishment of suitable conditions.
According to Egyptian sources, Cairo’s plan for the Gaza Strip stipulates that reconstruction necessitates transitional governance arrangements and security provisions, including forming an independent committee to manage the Strip during a six-month transitional period.
The Egyptian plan proposes “forming a Gaza reconstruction committee composed of non-factional figures working under the umbrella of the Palestinian government.”
The Egyptian plan, consisting of 112 pages, features maps illustrating the redevelopment of Gaza’s lands, along with AI-generated images showcasing housing projects, parks and community centres. The plan envisions a commercial port, a technology hub, and beachfront hotels.
The plan emphasizes the importance of the Palestinian Authority’s continued efforts to develop Palestinian institutions and engage with the Strip in a manner consistent with international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions. The plan further underscores the need to begin planning for the early recovery phase, ensuring Palestinian ownership of the process and emphasizing a gradual approach that respects the right of the Palestinian people to remain on their land.
The proposed Gaza management committee would oversee the Strip’s affairs during the six-month transition, operating independently under the Palestinian government’s umbrella.
According to the plan, Egypt and Jordan would be responsible for training Palestinian police forces in preparation for their deployment in Gaza. It also proposes a Security Council resolution to deploy international peacekeeping forces in the Palestinian territories “in an integrated context for the establishment of a Palestinian state.” The plan stresses the importance of forming the Gaza management committee promptly, enabling its full return to the Strip and the management of the next phase under Palestinian leadership.
“Egypt and Jordan are working to train Palestinian police officers in preparation for their deployment in the Strip,” the plan notes.
The Egyptian plan condemns the killing and targeting of civilians, the unprecedented level of violence, and the humanitarian suffering caused by the war in Gaza. It reaffirms the two-state solution as the optimal path forward, according to the international community and international law, emphasizing that the Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian territories.
The Egyptian initiative urges respect for the rights of the Palestinian people and their right to remain on their land without displacement. It calls on the international community to unite to address the humanitarian disaster stemming from the conflict, stressing that attempting to deny the Palestinian people their aspirations for statehood or to seize their land would only lead to further conflict and instability.
The plan calls for maintaining the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, noting that reconstruction requires transitional governance arrangements and security provisions to preserve the prospects for a two-state solution. It urges the international community to support the efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to solidify the ceasefire agreement, noting that the collapse of the ceasefire would impede humanitarian efforts and the reconstruction process.
The plan emphasizes the importance of a gradual approach that respects the Palestinian people’s right to remain on their land, as well as their right to achieve their legitimate aspirations for a contiguous state comprising Gaza and the West Bank. It calls for a political and legal approach to the Strip that aligns with international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions.
The Egyptian plan reiterates the importance of the Palestinian Authority continuing its efforts to develop Palestinian institutions.
