Egypt Proposes Gaza Reconstruction Plan to Counter Trump’s Depopulation Proposal
CAIRO — To counter a U.S. proposal to displace Palestinians, Egypt is formulating a Gaza reconstruction plan that avoids the removal of its inhabitants.
Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper reports the plan involves creating secure zones within Gaza for initial Palestinian resettlement, while Egyptian and international contractors rehabilitate infrastructure.
Egyptian officials, in consultation with European diplomats, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, are exploring funding mechanisms, including a potential international reconstruction conference, according to sources.
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These officials and diplomats requested anonymity due to ongoing negotiations.
This initiative follows global condemnation of Trump’s proposal to remove Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians, replacing it with a U.S.-controlled “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Palestinians have rejected displacement, and Egypt and Jordan, supported by Saudi Arabia, have refused to accept the displaced population. Rights organizations have condemned this as potential forced expulsion, a war crime. European nations have also largely opposed Trump’s plan. [Unspecified entity] has voiced support and indicated Israeli readiness for implementation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a regional tour, stated the U.S. is open to alternative proposals, saying that if Arab nations possess a better plan, it’s welcome news.
Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper describes the plan as a counter to President Trump’s proposal and any attempts to alter Gaza’s geographic and demographic composition.
Gaza faces a critical juncture with a [Unspecified agreement] expiring early March. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the second phase—involving hostage release, Israeli withdrawal, and a long-term ceasefire—are still required.
Reconstruction hinges on a second-phase agreement, including Gaza’s future governance. Israel demands Hamas’s elimination as a political or military force, a condition for international donor support.
Central to Egypt’s proposal is a Palestinian administration independent of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority to oversee reconstruction, according to involved officials.
The plan includes a Palestinian police force composed mainly of former Palestinian Authority officers remaining in Gaza post-2007, reinforced by Egyptian and Western-trained personnel.
Regarding potential Arab troop deployment, officials indicated Arab support conditional on a clear path to an independent Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has opposed a Palestinian state and any Hamas or Palestinian Authority role in Gaza governance, without offering an alternative.
Hamas has expressed willingness to relinquish power, with spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou stating acceptance of a Hamas-free unity government or a technocratic administration. The Palestinian Authority remains opposed to exclusionary Gaza plans.
A Western diplomat confirmed French and German support for Arab counter-proposals to Trump’s plan, noting Egyptian President el-Sissi discussed this with the French president.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty briefed the German foreign minister and EU officials at the Munich Security Conference, according to Egyptian officials.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan will discuss the proposal in Riyadh before presenting it at the Arab summit.
Israel’s 16-month Gaza campaign, following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, caused widespread devastation. U.N. estimates indicate around a quarter-million housing units damaged or destroyed, along with over 90% of roads and 80% of health facilities. Infrastructure damage is estimated at $30 billion, with housing damage at $16 billion.
Egypt’s plan involves a three-phase, five-year reconstruction process without Palestinian displacement. Initial six-month “early recovery” will use three safe zones with temporary housing and humanitarian aid.
Over two dozen Egyptian and international firms will participate in the project, providing tens of thousands of jobs.
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