Egypt Daily News – As the future of war-torn Gaza remains uncertain, with the United Nations estimating reconstruction costs at over 53 billion dollars, and Cairo confirming the preparation of a comprehensive rebuilding plan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced that Egypt will take charge of training Palestinian police officers for deployment in Gaza.
During a joint press conference with Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Cairo on Saturday, Abdelatty stated that there is a shared vision with the Palestinian government regarding security and governance arrangements in Gaza.
For his part, Mustafa stated, “We will present a feasible plan for rebuilding Gaza without displacement.”
Comprehensive vision
On February 19, Abdelatty explained that Egypt had developed a comprehensive, multi-phase plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza.
He also expressed, during a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart Georg Georgiev, Cairo’s hope that the international community and European Union countries would support its efforts regarding Gaza. Safe zones, reconstruction, and governance of Gaza
Since former U.S. President Donald Trump made his controversial statement about Gaza and the displacement of nearly two million Palestinians to neighboring countries, Egypt has been working on a plan to rebuild Gaza without forcing Palestinians to leave.
The Egyptian proposal includes the creation of “safe zones” within Gaza, where Palestinians can temporarily reside while Egyptian and international companies work on clearing debris and rehabilitating the territory’s infrastructure.
It also calls for the establishment of a neutral Palestinian administration, unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, to govern the enclave and oversee reconstruction efforts, according to Egyptian officials involved in the plan.
Three Phases
The Egyptian plan envisions the reconstruction of Gaza in three phases over a period of up to five years, without displacing Palestinians from the territory, according to Egyptian officials.
It also designates three “safe zones” within Gaza to temporarily relocate Palestinians during an initial six-month “early recovery” period. These zones will be equipped with mobile homes and shelters, along with a steady flow of humanitarian aid.
More than 20 Egyptian and international companies are expected to participate in clearing debris and rebuilding Gaza’s infrastructure.
Officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan discussed this proposal during a meeting in Riyadh last month, ahead of its presentation at the emergency Arab summit on March 4.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that he opposes handing control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority after the war ends.
