Leading European nations have expressed their support for an Arab-backed plan to reconstruct Gaza, which is estimated to cost $53 billion (£41 billion) and aims to prevent the displacement of Palestinians from the territory.
Developed by Egypt and endorsed by Arab leaders, the plan has been rejected by Israel and US President Donald Trump, who has proposed his own vision to transform the Gaza Strip into a “Middle East Riviera.”
On Saturday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Britain hailed the plan as “realistic,” stating it offers a “swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions” in Gaza. The proposal includes temporary governance by a committee of independent experts and the deployment of international peacekeepers to manage humanitarian aid and Gaza’s affairs under the Palestinian Authority’s supervision.
The proposal comes amid concerns that the fragile ceasefire agreement in Gaza could collapse after its initial six-week phase expired on March 1. Israel has blocked aid from entering the region to pressure Hamas into accepting a new US proposal for a temporary extension of the truce, during which more hostages in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. However, Hamas insists that the next phase of the ceasefire must include the full withdrawal of Israeli troops as originally agreed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that a negotiating team would travel to Qatar on Monday to discuss extending the ceasefire. The timeline for executing the second phase of the ceasefire remains unclear, but a Hamas spokesman, Abdel Latif al-Qanoua, has mentioned “positive indicators” for the upcoming talks.
The Arab-backed plan for Gaza represents an alternative to Trump’s vision of US governance over the territory and the resettlement of its population. Egypt introduced the plan during an emergency Arab League summit and received backing from both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. However, both the White House and Israeli officials asserted that the plan fails to consider the realities on the ground in Gaza.
“Residents cannot live humanely in a territory filled with debris and unexploded ordnance,” said Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump’s National Security Council. His statement reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to rebuilding Gaza without Hamas’s involvement.
The four European nations’ statement emphasized the need for Hamas to cease governance in Gaza and to no longer pose a threat to Israel. They also reiterated their support for the central role of the Palestinian Authority and its reform agenda.
The ongoing conflict has forced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to evacuate their homes. Israel’s military operations were initiated following Hamas’s attack in October 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages. The humanitarian impact has been severe, with over 48,000 Palestinians reported killed during the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and widespread destruction of infrastructure across the region.
Credit: BBC News
