Iran (IMNA) - The plan, presented during an emergency summit in Cairo on Tuesday, was framed as a counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestion to depopulate the territory and assume control.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in his opening remarks, stressed that the initiative ensures Palestinians "remain on their land." He proposed forming a temporary administrative committee of independent Palestinian professionals to oversee Gaza's affairs, paving the way for the return of the Palestinian Authority.
The plan outlines a phased reconstruction approach over five years with an estimated cost of $53 billion. An initial six-month recovery phase, costing $3 billion, will address debris removal and temporary housing. This will be followed by a $20-billion infrastructure rebuilding phase until 2027 and a $30-billion expansion phase through 2030 to develop housing, infrastructure, and industrial facilities. To ensure transparency, an internationally supervised trust fund is proposed.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed strong support for the initiative, emphasizing Gaza's integration into a future Palestinian state and calling for urgent ceasefire negotiations and unhindered humanitarian aid. He also condemned Israeli actions in the West Bank, including demolitions and settlement expansions.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected any proposals involving forced displacement and commended the Egyptian plan for preserving Palestinian sovereignty. Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid joined other leaders in endorsing the initiative.
The summit also called for international financial support and elections in Palestinian territories within a year if conditions allow. Meanwhile, Trump’s earlier proposal to transform Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East” while relocating its residents faced widespread rejection from Palestinians, Arab states, and European governments.
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