Arab leaders will meet in Cairo on Tuesday with Egypt to present a plan for Gaza. This plan aims to sideline Hamas and establish interim bodies managed by Arab, Muslim, and Western states. This contrasts with U.S. President Donald Trump’s idea of a “Middle East Riviera.”
The key unresolved issue in negotiations over the future of the Palestinian enclave—devastated by 15 months of Israel’s war with Hamas—is who will govern Gaza.
The militant group Hamas has stated that it rejects any externally imposed solutions for the Gaza Strip.
For almost a month, Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab states have been discussing an alternative to Trump’s vision, which includes the exodus of Palestinians and U.S.-led reconstruction of Gaza. Those Arab states fear such a plan could destabilize the entire region.
According to diplomats and sources, Egypt’s proposal is the leading option.
It outlines a Governance Assistance Mission that would temporarily replace Gaza’s Hamas-led government. This mission would handle humanitarian aid and initiate reconstruction, based on a draft reviewed by Reuters.
A source familiar with the situation suggested that Israel likely would not oppose an Arab entity assuming responsibility for Gaza’s governance if Hamas is no longer involved.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the group opposes any attempts to impose projects or any form of non-Palestinian administration, as well as the presence of foreign forces in Gaza.
He added, “We are keen for the success of the summit, and we hope that there will be a call to reject the displacement and to protect the right of our people in resisting the occupation and govern itself away from any custodianship and intervention.”
Egypt’s plan firmly rejects the U.S. proposal for the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Arab states like Egypt and Jordan view this as a security threat.
However, the Egyptian plan does not specify who would finance the rebuilding of Gaza, which the U.N. estimates will cost over $53 billion. According to two sources, Gulf and Arab states would need to contribute at least $20 billion in the initial phase.
Any proposal will require strong support from wealthy Gulf Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia that possess the necessary funding.
The UAE, which perceives Hamas as a significant threat, has called for the group’s immediate and complete disarmament. In contrast, other Arab countries favor a gradual approach, according to another source close to the discussions.
Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities, the Gaza war has led to more than 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities.
Since Hamas expelled the Palestinian Authority from Gaza after a brief civil war in 2007, it has suppressed all opposition. The group, backed by Iran, has built a vast security and military organization, including an extensive network of tunnels, much of which Israel claims to have destroyed. Egypt’s proposal envisions that countries on a steering board could create a fund to support the interim governing body and organize donor conferences to gather contributions for a long-term reconstruction and development plan for Gaza.
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