After rebuffing US President Trump’s requests to absorb Palestinian civilians from Gaza, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi has said he is willing to temporarily absorb half a million Gazans, according to the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper.
Sisi made the remarks during meetings with other Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
After Sisi and King Abdullah of Jordan rejected Trump’s request that they absorb 2 million Gazans during a planned reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, Egypt formulated its own proposal for rebuilding and governing Gaza.
The leaders of the two countries have rejected the request for permanent relocation of Gazans due to concerns that a huge influx of Palestinians could threaten the internal security of their countries and because of their support for a Palestinian state.
Earlier in March, Arab leaders approved an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza, valued at $53 billion, which aims to rebuild the enclave without displacing Palestinians. This plan stands in stark contrast to former US President Donald Trump’s “Middle East Riviera” vision.
Sisi stated that the proposal, which was endorsed in later statements by Hamas and criticized by Israel, had been accepted at the conclusion of a summit in Cairo.
The key questions regarding Gaza’s future are who will govern the enclave and which countries will fund the billions required for its reconstruction.
Sisi stated that Egypt had collaborated with Palestinians to establish an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats tasked with overseeing Gaza’s governance once the war concludes.
The committee would oversee humanitarian aid and manage the Strip’s affairs temporarily, in preparation for the eventual return of full governance.
In contrast, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has put forward a “Gaza exodus” plan that would encourage Palestinian residents to leave the Strip permanently.
Smotrich said the plan had the backing of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz who are forming a “migration administration” that will oversee the departure for Palestinians from Gaza.
“This plan is coming together, with ongoing efforts in coordination with the administration. It includes identifying key countries, understanding their interests—both with the US and with us—and promoting cooperation,” Smotrich said.
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