Egypt’s Plan for Gaza Reconstruction Faces Major Obstacles Amid U.S. and Israeli Opposition
Despite political and security challenges, Egypt’s proposal for Gaza’s future may still move forward with regional and international support.
Watan-According to exclusive sources, a committee of diplomats and security officials from the Egyptian presidency has been working since Wednesday on drafting Cairo’s response to the U.S. and Israeli positions, which reject the Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The plan was adopted during the emergency Arab summit on Tuesday. According to an Egyptian diplomatic source, a formal statement is expected to be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The United States rejected the Egyptian proposal, which had been approved during the Arab summit, and emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump still insists on his plan for evacuating Gaza’s residents. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said on Tuesday that “the residents of Gaza cannot live humanely in a destroyed area filled with unexploded ordnance,” stressing that Trump’s vision for Gaza’s reconstruction does not include Hamas.
Israel also criticized the summit’s final statement, claiming it “failed to address the realities of the situation after October 7, 2023,” urging regional countries to “break free from the constraints of the past and cooperate to create a future of stability and security in the region.”
Obstacles to the Arab Summit Plan’s Implementation
Egyptian diplomatic sources revealed that the Egyptian-Arab plan for Gaza’s future, approved at the Arab summit, faces significant challenges both internationally and domestically, making its implementation highly complex. The sources highlighted that the primary obstacles are the U.S. and Israeli rejection, which leaves the plan without strong international backing, allowing for continued political and logistical hurdles.
The sources explained that domestically, the plan faces significant challenges, particularly regarding the political and security administration of Gaza after the war. The plan proposes establishing a temporary civilian administration to oversee Gaza, composed of independent and technocratic figures, excluding any representatives from Hamas. However, this proposal may face opposition from Hamas, which still holds political and military influence in Gaza, even after the devastation caused by the war.
Palestinian Authority Faces Challenges in Regaining Control of Gaza
On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority, which is supposed to regain control of Gaza according to the Egyptian-Arab plan, does not have the necessary influence or security forces to assert its control on the ground. Since leaving the Gaza Strip in 2007, the Authority has been unable to return, and it lacks a security apparatus capable of filling the vacuum that may arise if Israeli forces withdraw. With the ongoing Palestinian divide, forming a new civilian administration requires a high degree of political consensus, which has not yet been achieved.
Alongside these complications, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas added a new element to the scene during his participation in the Arab summit, announcing the creation of a new position for a vice-president of the Palestinian Authority and a general amnesty for those expelled from Fatah, in a move seen as an attempt to reorganize the Fatah party in preparation for the post-war period. This step opened the door for the return of figures previously excluded from the Palestinian political scene.
Rebuilding Gaza itself faces huge challenges. Israel still imposes strict restrictions on the entry of aid and construction materials into the strip, which may slow or disrupt the reconstruction process. Moreover, funding remains a key issue, as rebuilding Gaza requires billions of dollars, estimated by the plan at $53 billion. While Arab countries, particularly those in the Gulf, have pledged financial support, the continued flow of these funds may be conditioned on certain political arrangements, adding further pressure on the Palestinian and Arab parties involved in the plan.
In this context, diplomats suggested that Egypt may seek to establish economic and trade relations and secure investment facilitation from global blocs such as the European Union, Russia, and China. However, this would be done only after a careful assessment of the balance of power to avoid straining Egypt’s relationship with the United States, especially under the Trump administration.
Security issues also represent one of the biggest obstacles to implementing any new arrangements in Gaza. The strip suffers from widespread destruction of its civil and military infrastructure, and rebuilding its security institutions requires a high level of Palestinian consensus and international guarantees to prevent Gaza from descending into security chaos. With no clear agreement on who will take responsibility for Gaza’s security after the war, any political arrangements remain fragile and subject to collapse at any moment.
Egyptian Tools
Despite the significant challenges facing the Egyptian plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, primarily the U.S.-Israeli rejection, sources confirm that the plan remains feasible if there is unified Arab political will and effective use of available tools. The plan aims to prevent forced displacement, secure Gaza’s stability, and restore the Palestinian Authority’s control, as alternatives seek to impose international administration or force population relocation, transforming Gaza into an investment project serving Israeli interests.
Diplomatic sources emphasize that Egypt possesses regional and international influence that it can leverage to strengthen its position. Egypt is not just a mediator in the Palestinian issue but a key player with a pivotal geographic location that qualifies it to play an active role.
Cairo can advance the plan by escalating the issue regionally and internationally through the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, and it can utilize its relations with the European Union, particularly with countries that have reservations about Israeli policies such as France, Spain, and Ireland. Moreover, strengthening coordination with Russia and China, which seek to undermine U.S. dominance in the region, could provide support alternatives to the United States.
Legally, Egypt has tools it can use to obligate Israel to comply with specific clauses concerning Gaza, based on existing international agreements. The Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty (Camp David) and the 2005 border agreements provide important leverage, as the latter grants Egypt and the Palestinian Authority the right to oversee and control Gaza’s borders, especially the Rafah crossing.
Egypt Leverages Legal and Security Tools for Gaza Reconstruction
Under these agreements, Egypt can bring in humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials without needing direct Israeli approval, giving it room to maneuver even with ongoing Israeli intransigence. Any Israeli attempt to block aid could expose it to international accusations of violating humanitarian law and committing war crimes.
In this regard, international law professor Dr. Ayman Salama asserts that countries have many legal tools to use against Israel, but they hesitate to activate them due to U.S. pressure and potential reactions. He explains that although the military option is not on the table, Egypt has security tools it can use to press for the plan’s implementation. He further mentions that the Rafah crossing is a crucial tool in this context, as it is the only lifeline for Gaza under the Israeli blockade.
Egypt can organize aid flows according to its priorities and tie this to international acceptance of the plan. Additionally, Egypt could enhance security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and work to form a Palestinian security force, supported by Arab countries, to manage Gaza during the transitional phase, which would make the plan more acceptable internationally as a step toward rebuilding Palestinian state institutions.
