Arab leaders convened in Cairo on Tuesday to explore alternatives to former US President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to assume control of Gaza, which has been widely condemned for proposing the forced displacement of Palestinians.
The Arab League summit followed renewed support for Trump’s proposal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it “visionary and innovative.”
Gaza remains devastated after Israel’s military offensive in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. The destruction created a humanitarian crisis, only recently easing with a fragile ceasefire that began in January.
Hamas urged Arab leaders to “thwart” what it described as Israeli efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians, calling for an effective Arab response to the humanitarian disaster.
Trump’s proposal, which envisioned transforming Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” while relocating its inhabitants to Egypt or Jordan, has been widely rejected by Palestinians, Arab states, and many European governments. Though Trump has recently softened his rhetoric, experts warn the plan could violate international law.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi outlined his country’s alternative proposal, which would maintain Palestinians’ presence in Gaza and entrust governance to a committee of Palestinian technocrats.
A draft of Egypt’s five-year, $53 billion plan proposes clearing debris, rebuilding essential infrastructure, and providing temporary housing, followed by long-term reconstruction of homes, commercial facilities, and industrial zones. The plan also suggests creating an internationally supervised trust fund to ensure transparency and accountability in financing.
