The role that Hamas may play in the post-war landscape of Gaza continues to be a point of contention in the Arab world, as evidenced by recent developments in Cairo. Despite 16 months of Israeli military campaigns, Hamas still boasts of its military prowess, and the 22 members of the Arab League have been unable to agree on a unified proposal for the administration of the Gaza Strip. However, there has been a unanimous rejection of the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump in early February to expel two million people from the territory to transform it into a tourist and commercial resort.
The emergency Arab summit in Cairo, which included the highest representation from the UN and EU, as well as the last-minute absence of Algeria and Tunisia, has primarily served to legitimize Egypt’s reconstruction proposal as a viable alternative to Trump’s idea of an “Eastern Mediterranean Riviera.” According to the plan devised by Egyptian President Al Sisi, who has made it clear in recent weeks that he will not allow Gazan population entry into his territory and acknowledges that the demilitarization of Hamas is unlikely for now, more than five years and $53 billion will be required to rebuild the devastated Strip. This amount will be largely shouldered by the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
However, whether it’s the Egyptian proposal for Gaza or any other project, the reconstruction of Gaza must pass through the approval of the Trump Administration and the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Most importantly, it requires a permanent ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Hamas, which seems more distant than it did at the end of January, given recent events surrounding the exchange of hostages and prisoners.
Although not physically present in Cairo, the Israeli executive attended the Arab summit by reiterating its demands, this time through Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, for the expulsion of Hamas from the Strip – “total demilitarization” – and the return of all hostages as a necessary condition to move to the next phase of the ceasefire agreement. Moreover, coinciding with the Arab meeting in Cairo, the Israeli Defense Forces eliminated the naval commander of the Radwan forces of Hezbollah, Haidar Hashem, in a bombardment of the Lebanese town of Tyre.
Hamas, though not physically present in Cairo, was more than present at the meeting, calling on the Arab League to adopt “firm” positions to “stop Israel’s terrorist policies,” including the blockade imposed on the Strip. Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the Egyptian plan and urged US President Trump to support it. The veteran leader also committed to holding presidential and legislative elections next year, provided the conditions are met in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
A Five-Year Plan
The Egyptian proposal includes an initial six-month “early recovery” phase, investing $3 billion in early clearance work and enabling seven zones in the Strip to temporarily accommodate over 1.5 million Palestinians. These individuals would be housed in “temporary residential units” with an average capacity of six people, distributed across Gazan towns such as Rafah, Jan Yunis, Deir al-Balah, and four other positions in the central and northern Strip, as reported by EFE.
After these six months, the first phase of reconstruction would commence, lasting two years and costing $20 billion to complete the clearance process and restore around 60,000 “partially destroyed” residences, alongside the construction of 200,000 new “permanent” housing units. Present at the meeting in the new Egyptian administrative capital, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres defended any form of ethnic cleansing and stated that Gaza should remain “an integral part of a sovereign, independent, and democratic Palestinian state.”
One of the most anticipated figures at the extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo was the new interim Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who called on the international community to act against Israeli forces’ attacks on his territory and rejected the new US administration’s plans to expel Gazans from the Strip. His presence and stance underscore the complexities and multifaceted nature of the challenges facing the region, as leaders navigate the intricate web of alliances, conflicts, and interests that define the Middle East.